House wrap & method of manufacture

Abstract

A continuous, wavy and intersecting pattern of filaments is deposited on a surface of a house wrap membrane using a plurality of hot melt nozzles and a controller that controls, positionally and temporally, the relative positions and flow of hot melt of the nozzles and the top surface of the membrane. Water drainage channels may be provided by depressions or viaducts.

1 . A method of making a house wrap, comprising:
 disposing a membrane in a longitudinal direction, the membrane having a beginning, an end, a first side extending between the beginning and the end, and a second side, opposite of the first side, the second side extending between the beginning and the end, and the beginning, the first side, the end and the second side defining a perimeter, the longitudinal direction being defined along the first side extending from the end to the beginning, the perimeter defining a surface area of the membrane, and the surface area of the membrane comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, opposite of the top surface, having the top surface facing upward;   depositing, during the step of disposing the membrane in a longitudinal direction, a first polymer strand of a hot melt polymer onto the top surface of the membrane, wherein the first polymer strand is disposed above the top surface, the first polymer strand is a continuous strand, and at least a portion of the first polymer strand adheres to the top surface of the membrane;   depositing, during the step of disposing the membrane in a longitudinal direction, a second polymer strand of a hot melt polymer onto the top surface of the membrane, wherein the second polymer strand is disposed above the top surface, the second polymer strand is a continuous strand, and at least a portion of the second polymer strand adheres to the top surface of the membrane;   controlling, positionally and temporally, the disposing of the membrane and, at the same time, hot melt nozzles utilized for depositing the hot melt polymer of the first polymer strand and the hot melt polymer of the second polymer strand such that the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand are deposited and adhered on the top surface of the membrane between the beginning, the end, first side and the second side of the membrane in a pattern of wavy, intersecting polymer strands, each of the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand being raised above the top surface of the membrane, and the pattern comprising intersecting points where the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand intersect, one over the other.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of controlling forms a sinusoidal pattern for each of the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand, and positions of the hot melt nozzles for the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand such that the sinusoidal pattern for the first polymer strand is offset from the sinusoidal pattern of the second polymer strand. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of controlling fixes the hot melt nozzles onto a common nozzle support member, and a position controller moves the common nozzle support member wherein the plurality of nozzles are moved at the same time such that the sinusoidal pattern of the first polymer strand is offset at a fixed offset distance from the sinusoidal pattern of the second polymer strand. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 positioning a flattening device such that the flattening device flattens at least one portion of the first polymer strand, the second polymer strand, or both the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand, such that water drainage channels are provided through which water drains.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of positioning supports a plurality of flattening devices using a common flattening device support member such that all of the plurality of flattening devices are disposed in a spatial relation across a width of the membrane, the width being defined as the distance between the first side and the second side, and portions of the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand are flattened by the plurality of flattening devices during the step of disposing. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 depositing, during the step of disposing the membrane in a longitudinal direction, a third polymer strand of a hot melt polymer onto the top surface of the membrane, wherein the third polymer strand is disposed above the top surface, the third polymer strand is a continuous strand, and at least a portion of the third polymer strand adheres to the top surface of the membrane.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 depositing, during the step of disposing the membrane in a longitudinal direction, a fourth polymer strand of a hot melt polymer onto the top surface of the membrane, wherein the fourth polymer strand is disposed above the top surface, the fourth polymer strand is a continuous strand, and at least a portion of the fourth polymer strand adheres to the top surface of the membrane.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one of the hot melt nozzles utilized for depositing the hot melt polymer of the first polymer strand is raised and lowered in relation to the top surface of the membrane during the step of controlling forming a bridge, wherein the bridge is defined by a gap between the top surface of the membrane and the first polymer strand when the one of the hot melt nozzles utilized for depositing the hot melt polymer of the first polymer strand is raised temporally above the top surface of the membrane to form the gap before being returned to a lower position wherein the first polymer strand re-adheres to the top surface of the membrane. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein another one of the hot melt nozzles is raised and lowered in relation to the top surface of the membrane during the step of controlling forming another bridge defined by another gap between the top surface of the membrane and the second polymer strand, whereby water is capable of draining through the another gap. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of controlling controls the raising and lowering of the one of the hot melt nozzles and the another of the hot melt nozzles such that drainage channels are provided in the pattern of wavy, intersecting polymer strands, whereby water drains through the drainage channels when the house wrap is installed. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of depositing a soluble viaduct material onto the top surface of the membrane and the first polymer strand or the second polymer strand or both the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand are deposited over the soluble viaduct materials during the respective step of depositing of the first polymer strand, the second polymer strand or both the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a step of dissolving the soluble viaduct material after the steps of depositing. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of dissolving comprises dipping the membrane in a solvent. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the soluble viaduct material is of a sugar and the solvent is water. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of disposing a non-stick rod on the top surface of the membrane prior to the steps of depositing, wherein the steps of depositing deposit the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand over the non-stick rod; and removing the rod from the top surface of the membrane without disturbing the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of controlling selects a location or locations of a channel formed by a gap or a viaduct between the top surface of the membrane and the first polymer strand or the second polymer strand such that any liquid on the membrane is directed along the first polymer strand or the second polymer strand in a direction away from an edge of the membrane and toward the channel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of controlling includes imaging at least a portion of the top surface of the membrane for detecting a location for the channel, and raising at least one of the hot melt nozzles at the location for the channel, wherein the at least one of the hot melt nozzles of the first polymer strand or the second polymer strand forms a bridge over the channel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising positioning a flattening device such that the flattening device flattens at least one portion of the first polymer strand, the second polymer strand, or both the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand, whereby drainage channels are formed at the at least one portion of the first polymer strand, the second polymer strand, or both the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of positioning comprises positioning a flattening device support member supporting a plurality of flattening devices such that each of the plurality of flattening devices are disposed in a spatial relation across a width of the membrane, the width being defined as the distance between the first side and the second side, and the at least one portion comprises a plurality of portions being flattened of both the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand by the plurality of flattening devices during the step of disposing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the flattening device is a roller, and the step of controlling controls a height of the roller such that the height of the roller positions the roller in a lowered position and a raised position such that the roller rolls across the top surface of the membrane longitudinally during the step of disposing when the height of the roller is in the lowered position, flattening the at least one portion of the first polymer strand, the second polymer strand or both the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand, but when the height of the roller is in the raised position, no portion of the first polymer strand and the second polymer strand is flattened by the roller.