US20170009449A1 - Insulation wall and insulation plate for constructing the insulation wall - Google Patents

Abstract

An insulation wall is constructed from insulation plates. The edge sides of the insulation plates are provided with edge connecting elements such as a tongue, a groove or a ridge for forming a tongue and groove joint or a half lap joint between adjacent insulation plates in the insulation wall. At least one drainage channel is provided through the insulation wall for draining away moisture that has penetrated between the insulation plates into the insulation wall. This at least one drainage channel includes adjoining drainage channel sections which are provided in the longitudinal direction on the edge connecting elements of the interconnected insulation plates.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD
• The present invention relates to an insulation wall for a wall of a building, wherein the insulation wall is composed of interconnected insulation plates, and wherein the insulation wall is arranged for limiting and draining away moisture penetrating between the insulation plates of the insulation wall. The invention further relates to insulation plates that can be interconnected for constructing an insulation wall, wherein the insulation plates are arranged in such a way that the insulation wall constructed from the interconnected insulation plate can drain away and limit moisture penetrating between the insulation plates.
BACKGROUND ART
• An insulation wall for thermal insulation of a building is generally composed of separate insulation plates or insulation panels, which are placed against each other and optionally interconnected so as to form the complete insulation wall.
• The insulation plates are usually rectangular in shape, comprising a front side, a rear side and four edge sides. The insulation plates are placed with their front side or rear side against a wall, for example a building wall, and are affixed to said wall, for example by means of anchors, by glueing, or by a combination of both. At the side of the front and rear sides that remains free, not facing the building, a further wall of the building may then be provided, such as for example a brick façade. The side that remains free may also be arranged for affixing a façade cladding thereon, such as for example strip stones or a decorative stucco.
• Some types of insulation plate are provided with flat edge sides. However, this carries the disadvantage for the insulation wall constructed from such insulation plates that there are gaps between the insulation plates, even if the insulation plates are installed carefully and fitted closely together. These gaps have several undesirable consequences. Firstly, the thermal insulation properties of the insulation wall are interrupted at these gaps. The gaps thus form thermal bridges in the insulation wall. A further adverse consequence of the gaps is that they constitute openings for moisture, such as water or other liquids, to pass through. As a result of this, moisture from an outside wall of a building can for example penetrate or seep through to the inside wall of a building, where the moisture can damage the inner wall and possibly the inside wall cladding. The gaps between the insulation plates of the insulation wall can be sealed by means of a self-adhesive tape. This prevents moisture from seeping through from an outside wall to an inside wall, but offers no solution for the thermal bridges. Moreover, the self-adhesive tape does not constitute a permanent solution against moisture penetration, since the adherence of self-adhesive tape decreases over time, causing the self-adhesive tape to peel off after a certain amount of time. Another possibility is to fill the gaps with an insulating foam, such as for example polyurethane foam. This offers a more permanent solution against moisture penetrating or seeping through, and also prevents the thermal bridges at the gaps. It is, however, not easy to apply the polyurethane foam or any other insulating foam in a controlled and precise manner inside the narrow gaps. When, for example, the insulating foam is applied by an inexperienced professional or a do-it-yourselfer, open gaps are still likely to exist between the insulation plates after the application of the insulating foam. This can even occur when the insulating foam is applied by a skilled professional. Moreover, the application of additional elements such as the self-adhesive tape or the insulating foam takes up time, adding to the time required to construct the insulation wall.
• Improved types of insulation plates employ a connecting system or joining system that provides a better fit between the insulation plates during construction of an insulation wall. This connecting system may for example be a tongue and groove joint or a half lap joint. In insulation plates with a tongue and groove joint, at least one edge side and preferably two adjacent edge sides of the insulation plate are provided with a tongue, and the opposite edge side or edge sides if applicable are provided with a groove. This enables two of such insulation plates to be interconnected by sliding the tongue provided at the edge side of the first insulation plate into the groove provided at the edge side of the second insulation plate. In a half lap joint, at least one edge side and preferably two adjacent edge sides of the insulation plate are provided lengthwise with a front ridge, i.e. a ridge situated on a portion of the edge side extending to the front side of the insulation plate, and the opposite edge side or edge sides if applicable are provided with a rear ridge, i.e. a ridge situated on a portion of the edge side extending to the rear side of the insulation plate. When connecting the insulation plates, the ridge at the front side of the edge side of the first insulation plate is then slid in front of the ridge at the rear side of the edge side of the second insulation plate.
• These improved types of insulation plates prevent open gaps and the resultant thermal bridges between the insulation plates in the insulation wall, thus improving the thermal insulation properties of the insulation wall. However, these insulation plates do not offer a solution for the problems of moisture penetrating between the insulation plates into the insulation wall, or moisture seeping through the insulation wall. The insulation plates may fit together better, but moisture can still pass through the insulation wall as a result of the capillary action occurring in the closely fitting joints between the insulation plates. This problem is most apparent in the vicinity of the corner points, where so-called penetration points occur in the insulation wall. These penetration points are locations in the insulation wall where a direct rectilinear passageway exists from the front side of the insulation wall to the rear side of the insulation wall, thus allowing, in principle, a needle to be inserted through the insulation wall without puncturing any material of the insulation wall. The use of a self-adhesive tape for covering the joints between the insulation plates, and thereby stopping moisture from penetrating and seeping through, is plagued by the same problems as described above with regard to the insulation plates with flat edge sides. The self-adhesive tape will peel off even faster at the penetration points because of the increased moisture concentration at these locations, accelerating the deterioration of the adhesive on the self-adhesive tape.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
• It is an aim of the present invention to provide an insulation wall with which the risk of moisture penetrating through the wall can be decreased.
• It is also an aim of the present invention to provide insulation plates which are arranged in such a way that an insulation wall constructed from the interconnected insulation plates can drain away moisture penetrating between the insulation plates.
• This aim is achieved according to the invention with an insulation wall showing the characteristics of the first independent claim, and with an insulation plate showing the characteristics of the second independent claim.
• To this end, the present invention provides an insulation wall for a building, wherein the insulation wall is composed of a plurality of interconnected, substantially identically shaped insulation plates, which are substantially rectangular in shape and each comprise a front side, a rear side and four edge sides, wherein the edge sides of the insulation plates are provided lengthwise with an edge connecting element selected from the list consisting of a tongue, a groove, a ridge flush with the front side of the insulation plate, called the front ridge, a ridge flush with the rear side of the insulation plate, called the rear ridge, wherein the tongue is essentially complementary to the groove and the front ridge is essentially complementary to the rear ridge, wherein the edge connecting elements are arranged in such a way that the insulation plates of the insulation wall are interconnected by means of a connection selected from a tongue and groove joint, formed by said tongue and said groove, and a half lap joint, formed by said front ridge and said rear ridge, wherein at least one drainage channel is provided through the insulation wall for draining moisture penetrated between the insulation plates into the insulation wall, wherein the at least one drainage channel is composed of adjoining drainage channel sections which are provided lengthwise on the edge connecting elements of the interconnected insulation plates.
• The at least one drainage channel through the insulation wall offers the advantage that moisture which, as a result of capillary action and other causes, has penetrated the insulation wall between the insulation plates of the insulation wall, is collected in the drainage channel and drained away through it. Herein, the at least one drainage channel mainly operates as a channel that collects and drains away moisture penetrating by capillary action into the joints or gaps between the insulation plates of the insulation wall, so that further penetration of the moisture by capillary action beyond the position of the drainage channel is prevented. The at least one drainage channel thus has an anticapillary function.
• The different edge connecting elements may be provided with a drainage channel section in different ways. Drainage channel sections may, among other implementations, be provided as recesses along the longitudinal direction of at least one of the complementary edge connecting elements forming the joint. For two interconnected insulation plates in the insulation wall, the drainage channel section is then enclosed between the two complementary edge connecting elements. Thus, the recess on the at least one of the complementary edge connecting elements forms an open space between the complementary edge connecting elements. Via this open space, the moisture can be drained away in the insulation wall. Another option is to provide the drainage channel as an internal channel inside the edge connecting elements and along the length of the edge connecting elements. It should further be clear that the drainage channel may also be provided partly as an internal channel and partly as a recess in the external surface of the edge connecting element, wherein a transition between both parts may then be provided.
• It is important to arrange the drainage channel sections on the different edge connecting elements of the different insulation plates in such a way that the drainage channel sections adjoin each other and thus together form the at least one drainage channel through the insulation wall of the present invention. If, for example, two adjacent insulation plates in the insulation wall are interconnected by means of a tongue and groove joint, whereas two insulation plates located directly above or below them are interconnected by means of a half lap joint, the drainage channel section may for example be arranged centrally inside the tongue, and arranged as a recess in at least one of the ridges, so that both drainage channel sections adjoin each other. It should be clear, then, that different possibilities exist for providing the transition between the drainage part sections on the different edge connecting elements, and different ways exist for arranging the drainage part sections in such a way that the drainage part sections adjoin each other.
• Insulation plates that are substantially identical in shape offer the advantage that only a single type of insulation plate needs to be provided for construction the entire insulation wall. This allows the insulation plates to be manufactured in an economically advantageous way, for example by only a single production line being required, and for example by only having to work with a single type of mould. Construction of the insulation wall by the person skilled in the art is also simplified, as this person does not have to combine different types of insulation plates.
• Different combinations of the edge connecting elements on the different edge sides are possible. A first example entails insulation plates of which two adjacent edge sides are provided lengthwise with a tongue, and of which the two remaining edge sides are provided lengthwise with a groove, being the complementary edge connecting element to the tongue. A second example entails that two adjacent edge sides are provided lengthwise with a front ridge, and the two remaining edge sides are provided lengthwise with a rear ridge, being the complementary edge connecting element to the front ridge. A third example entails that one edge side is provided lengthwise with a tongue, the edge side opposite from it is provided lengthwise with a groove, one of the remaining edge sides is provided lengthwise with a front ridge, and the edge side opposite from it is provided lengthwise with a rear ridge.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, at least one drainage channel section of the at least one drainage channel is provided at an end thereof with a raised wall to prevent moisture from penetrating at the transition between the at least one drainage channel section and an adjacent drainage channel section.
• The raised wall forms a barrier against the passage of moisture penetrating into the insulation wall between the insulation plates of the insulation wall. This offers the advantage that moisture is further prevented from seeping through from one side of the insulation wall to the opposite side of the insulation wall. Moisture penetrating into the insulation wall through joints between the insulation plates on one side of the insulation wall will initially be diverted by the at least one drainage channel section. Any moisture that further penetrates into the insulation wall beyond the at least one drainage channel section, will then be obstructed in its further passage through the insulation wall by the barrier formed by the raised wall.
• If each drainage channel section of the at least one drainage channel is arranged in this way, the further passage of moisture through the insulation wall beyond any drainage channel section of the at least one drainage channel is obstructed. A barrier against the further passage of moisture through the insulation wall is thus provided at a plurality of locations in the insulation wall.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the raised wall is at least partly formed by the edge connecting element on the edge side adjacent to the edge side on which the at least one edge connecting element is provided.
• This offers the advantage that no additional elements need to be provided on the insulation plate to form the raised wall, which simplifies the design of the insulation plate. The raised wall may thus be formed by at least a part of the tongue, the front ridge, the rear ridge, or the side walls of the groove.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the insulation plates are provided lengthwise at each edge side with a different edge connecting element selected from the list consisting of a tongue, a groove, a front ridge and a rear ridge, wherein the tongue and groove are each provided at two opposing edge sides of the insulation plate, and the front ridge and the rear ridge are provided at the two remaining opposing edge sides of the insulation plate.
• In a further embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the edge connecting elements of the insulation plates merge into each other at the corners between the edge sides.
• Combining the different edge connecting elements on the different edge sides of the insulation plates and causing these different edge connecting elements to merge or transition into each other across the corners between adjacent edge sides of the insulation plates, ensures that no rectilinear passageways for moisture through the insulation wall are present in the joints between the interconnected insulation plates. This is because such rectilinear passageways for moisture, or penetration points, which mainly occur in the insulation wall in the vicinity of the corners of the insulation plates, are avoided by the edge connecting elements merging into each other, so that a barrier against the moisture is present in each instance. Such penetration points form weaknesses in the insulation wall where moisture can freely pass through the insulation wall by means of the capillary action in the joints between the insulation plates. Removing these weaknesses is therefore highly advantageous, for preventing the passage of moisture through the insulation wall. This also holds for an insulation wall in which no drainage channel or drainage channels are provided, so that it is also possible to apply this characteristic independently from the drainage channels.
• The merging or transitioning into each other of the edge connecting elements across the corner between adjacent edge sides should be interpreted as entailing that only those parts of the edge connecting elements that protrude on both of said adjacent edge sides, continue beyond the ends of the adjacent edge sides. Thus, the tongue provided on one of the edge sides will only partly continue at the position where the front ridge or rear ridge is situated on the adjacent edge side, and conversely, the front ridge or rear ridge will only partly continue at the position where the tongue is situated on the adjacent edge side. Similarly, the side walls of the groove which is provided on one of the edge sides will only partly continue at the position where the front ridge or rear ridge is situated on the adjacent edge side, and conversely, the front ridge or rear ridge will only partly continue at the position where the side walls of the groove are situated on the adjacent edge side.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the at least one drainage channel through the insulation wall is arranged in a downward direction of the insulation wall.
• Arranging the at least one drainage channel through the insulation wall in a downward direction of the insulation wall offers the advantage that moisture having penetrated between the insulation plates into the insulation wall can be drained away quickly, easily and without requiring additional means, through gravitational force.
• The at least one drainage channel is therefore preferably arranged at least in a downward direction, but drainage channels may also be provided in a horizontal direction of the insulation wall, preferably in addition to and connecting to one or more drainage channels which are already provided in a downward direction of the insulation wall. This enables moisture to be drained away in the horizontal drainage channels towards the downward drainage channels, where it is further drained away. To enable efficient drainage of the moisture in the horizontal drainage channels, the drainage channel sections forming the horizontal drainage channels are preferably arranged to slightly slope towards the ends of the drainage channel section, for example with a highest point located centrally in the drainage channel section and the lowest point located at the ends of the drainage channel section.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the drainage channel sections are provided as recesses along the longitudinal direction of the edge connecting elements.
• By providing the drainage channel sections as a recess in the longitudinal direction of the edge connecting elements of the insulation plates, a passage is provided over the entire length of the edge connecting element between the at least one drainage channel and the gaps or joints between the insulation plates of the insulation wall between which moisture penetrates. This offers the advantage that penetrating moisture can be collected and drained away in the at least one drainage channel over the entire length of the edge connecting element.
• Providing a drainage channel as a recess along the longitudinal direction of a tongue or a groove of the insulation plates is also advantageous during construction of the insulation wall. Usually, the tongue and groove joint between adjacent insulation plates is formed by placing the tongue and the groove directly opposite each other and subsequently sliding them into each other. The tongue may for example be slid into the groove along the side of the groove or along the top of the groove. However, the recess in the tongue or the groove allows the tongue to be inserted into the groove or the groove to be placed over the tongue at an angle, wherein the tongue and groove joint is subsequently realized by means of a pivoting motion. This can for example be advantageous when mounting insulation plates at an inside corner of the wall of a building, or when mounting the insulation plates under a projecting roof edge, where it is difficult to slide the insulation plates into each other from the top or from the side. An additional advantage is that an adhesive provided on the insulation plates for adheringly affixing them to a wall will not be spread out by sliding the insulation plates into each other. For some adhesives, such as polyurethane foam, this spreading out could result in a diminished adhesion.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the edge connecting elements of the interconnected insulation plates are arranged to snap together, and are preferably arranged thereto by means of corresponding protrusions and recesses on the edge connecting elements.
• Being snappable by means of edge connecting elements arranged thereto will allow the insulation plates to be interconnectable with limited tolerance. This offers the advantage that the insulation plates will undergo little or no mutual shifting once they are joined together. This allows the insulation plates of the insulation wall to be aligned with each other in a predetermined and controlled manner. On the one hand, this offers the advantage that the size of the gaps or joints between the insulation plates of the insulation wall can be minimized, thus limiting the penetration of moisture between the insulation plates. On the other hand, this offers the advantage that the drainage channel sections on the edge connecting elements fit together well to form the at least one drainage channel through the insulation wall. The insulation plates being snappable by means of edge connecting elements arranged thereto allows the insulation wall to be constructed more quickly, since no special attention is required for aligning the different insulation plates to each other.
• The edge connecting elements are preferably provided with corresponding protrusions and recesses to allow them to be snapped together. This offers the advantage that no additional elements need to be provided on the insulation plates to ensure the snapping together of the edge connecting elements, since the snapping together is ensured by the shape of the edge connecting elements.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the insulation plates are, at the circumference of at least one side face, selected from the front side and the rear side, provided with an indentation for receiving an adhesive.
• The insulation plates of the insulation wall being provided with an indentation at their circumference causes a notch to be formed at the joints between interconnected insulation plates of the insulation wall, in the plane that runs parallel to the front sides or the rear sides of the interconnected insulation plates. When an adhesive, for example adhesive mortar, is applied to the insulation wall, these notches are filled with a larger amount of adhesive than the amount of adhesive that could be applied to a flat surface. This offers the advantage that the interconnected insulation plates of the insulation wall are bonded together more strongly. The stronger bond is provided on the one hand by the larger amount of adhesive in the notches, and on the other hand by the enlarged contact area between the adhesive and the surface of the insulation wall inside the notches.
• The notches further offer the major advantage that a sufficient amount of adhesive can be applied inside them to ensure a watertight sealing of the joints or gaps between the interconnected insulation plates of the insulation wall.
• It is further advantageous that when wiping off the adhesive from the insulation wall, the adhesive is not removed from the notches. Indeed, the wiping off will press the adhesive even better into the notches. The watertight seal and the improved adherence will therefore be retained, or even be enhanced, by wiping off the adhesive.
• The indentation may for example be formed by a sloping surface, a stepwise sloping surface, a vertical surface followed by a horizontal surface, a series of stepped surfaces, or a combination of the above. It should, however, be clear that the indentation may also be formed in other ways than the examples mentioned above.
• The adhesive may be applied solely for bonding together the interconnected insulation plates, but it can, among other things, also be applied on the insulation wall for affixing wall claddings thereto, such as for example strip stones.
• The examples for the insulation wall mentioned above, wherein the insulation plates are provided with an indentation at the circumference of at least one side face selected from the front side and the rear side, also apply for an insulation wall in which no drainage channel or drainage channels are provided, so that it is also possible to apply this characteristic independently from the drainage channels.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the indentation has a predetermined depth.
• The indentation having a predetermined depth allows an adhesive layer of sufficient depth for stopping substantially all penetrating moisture to be applied in the immediate vicinity of the joints or gaps between the interconnected insulation plates. This is advantageous for forming a virtually completely watertight seal in the notch by means of the adhesive. The thickness of the adhesive, and thus the depth of the indentation, is preferably 3 to 4 mm. This predetermined depth of the indentation is preferably reached at the end of the indentation located at the circumference of the insulation plates.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the insulation plates of the insulation wall are provided with a plurality of adhesion grooves for receiving an adhesive for wall cladding elements on at least one side face, selected from the front side of the insulation plate and the rear side of the insulation plate, along at least one direction, selected from the longitudinal direction of the insulation plate and the crosswise direction of the insulation plate.
• Wall cladding elements, such as for example strip stones or tiles, are affixed to the insulation wall by means of an adhesive, such as for example mortar or glue. The adhesive is preferably first applied to the insulation wall, after which the wall cladding elements can be applied onto the adhesive so as to be bonded to the insulation wall. The adhesion grooves thereby provide a better adhesion of the adhesive to the insulation wall, and therefore also a better adhesion of the wall cladding elements to the insulation wall. This better adhesion is obtained by, among other things, the adhesion grooves providing a larger adhesion surface for the adhesive. Furthermore, the better adhesion is also obtained by the adhesive being able to engage the inside of the grooves. This engaging has the additional advantage that shearing forces exerted on the insulation plate, and therefore on the insulation wall, by the adhesive and the wall cladding elements bonded thereto, are partly transferred to forces acting on the walls of the adhesion grooves.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the plurality of adhesion grooves have a wavelike shape.
• The wavelike shape allows adhesion grooves to be provided over a certain distance on the insulation wall, which have a greater length than the length straight adhesion grooves would present over the same distance. On the one hand, this offers the advantage that a larger adhesion surface is provided for the adhesive, and therefore a better adhesion of the adhesive to the insulation wall. The greater length of the adhesion grooves also allows the adhesive to engage the inside of the adhesion grooves over a greater distance, also resulting in a better adhesion of the adhesive to the insulation wall. The wavelike pattern of the adhesion grooves also causes the shearing forces exerted on the insulation wall to be transferred onto the adhesion grooves in different directions, resulting in a better distribution over the wall of the forces exerted on the insulation wall by the adhesive and the wall cladding elements.
• The wavelike shape of the adhesion grooves may for example be a sine wave, a triangular wave, a sawtooth wave or a square wave.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the plurality of adhesion grooves have a narrowed entry aperture.
• The narrowed entry aperture of the adhesion grooves offers the advantage that the adhesive, which is applied to the insulation plates and thereby pressed into the adhesion grooves, can engage behind the narrower entry aperture. Once the adhesive has set, the narrowed entry aperture ensures that the adhesive can no longer become detached from the adhesion grooves, thereby increasing the adhesion of the adhesive and the wall cladding elements.
• The narrowed entry aperture may for example be provided by adhesion grooves having a trapezoidal cross section, wherein the smaller base of the trapezoid shape is located at the entry aperture. Adhesion grooves shaped like this thus form a dovetail joint with the hardened adhesive inside the adhesion grooves.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the insulation plates of the insulation wall are provided, on at least one side face selected from the front side and the rear side, with a plurality of preferably rectilinear ridges along at least one direction selected from the longitudinal direction of the insulation plate and the crosswise direction of the insulation plate, and the ridges are spaced apart at regular intervals on the insulation wall.
• Said rectilinear ridges on the insulation plates, spaced apart at regular intervals, form raised edges on the insulation wall between which the wall cladding elements can be affixed to the insulation wall. The rectilinear ridges ensure a correct mutual alignment of the wall cladding elements, and thereby also a correct joint width between the wall cladding elements. This joint width is determined by the width of the rectilinear ridges and the distance between the wall cladding elements and the rectilinear ridges. Therefore, all of said rectilinear ridges are preferably of equal width. This gives the rectilinear ridges the advantage that the wall cladding elements can quickly be affixed to the insulation wall in a well aligned manner.
• The rectilinear ridges are not only spaced apart at regular intervals on one and the same insulation plate, but are also placed on the insulation plates in such a way that the rectilinear ridges are spaced apart at regular intervals on the insulation wall as well, i.e., across the different interconnected insulation plates.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the insulation plates comprise an insulating material selected from the list consisting of expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), polyurethane (PUR) and polyisocyanurate (PIR), preferably expanded polystyrene (EPS).
• These insulating materials offer good thermal insulating qualities and further offer the advantage of being water repellent, and being easily manufactured in the desired shape of the insulation plates. Apart from these insulating materials, other insulating materials known to the person skilled in the art may also be used, preferably materials having these properties.
• In an embodiment of the insulation wall according to the present invention, the insulation plates are arranged for mounting wall cladding elements, both at the front side and at the rear side.
• This offers the advantage that the insulation plates can be used two-sidedly in constructing the insulation wall. The insulation plates can be placed against the wall of a building either with the front side or with the rear side, wherein the wall cladding elements can then respectively be affixed to the rear side or to the front side of the insulation plate. This offers the further advantage that the front side and the rear side can be arranged for mounting wall cladding elements in different ways, allowing one and the same type of insulation plate to be used in two different manners. Thus, the front side may for example be provided with the rectilinear ridges, allowing the wall cladding elements to be affixed to the insulation wall with a joint between them, and the rear side may be provided without the rectilinear ridges, allowing the wall cladding elements to be seamlessly affixed to the insulation wall. In another example, the front side and the rear side of the insulation plates may be provided with a different number of adhesion grooves, in accordance with the weight of the wall cladding elements to be affixed. Thus, the side with the greater number of adhesion grooves can be used for affixing larger and heavier wall cladding elements, whereas the side with the smaller number of adhesion grooves can be used for affixing smaller and lighter wall cladding elements. It should be clear to the person skilled in the art that apart from the examples listed above, other possibilities exist for providing the front side and the rear side differently for affixing wall cladding elements.
• The present invention further provides an insulation plate for constructing an insulation wall, wherein the insulation plate is substantially rectangular in shape, wherein the insulation plate has a front side, a rear side, and four edge sides, wherein each edge side is provided lengthwise with an edge connecting element selected from the list consisting of a tongue, a groove, a ridge flush with the front side of the insulation plate, called the front ridge, and a ridge flush with the rear side of the insulation plate, called the rear ridge, wherein the tongue is essentially complementary to the groove and the front ridge is essentially complementary to the rear ridge, wherein at least one of the edge connecting elements at the edge sides is provided lengthwise with at least one drainage channel section.
• In an embodiment of the insulation plate according to the present invention, at least one drainage channel section is provided at one end with a raised wall.
• In an embodiment of the insulation plate according to the present invention, the raised wall is at least partly formed by the edge connecting element on the edge side adjacent to the edge side on which the at least one edge connecting element is provided.
• In an embodiment of the insulation plate according to the present invention, the insulation plate is provided lengthwise at each edge side with a different edge connecting element selected from the list consisting of the tongue, the groove, the front ridge and the rear ridge, and wherein the tongue and the groove are provided at two opposing edge sides of the insulation plate, and the front ridge and the rear ridge are provided at the two remaining opposing edge sides of the insulation plate.
• In an embodiment of the insulation plate according to the present invention, the different edge connecting elements of the insulation plate merge into each other at the corners between the edge sides.
• In an embodiment of the insulation plate according to the present invention, the at least one drainage channel section is provided as a recess along the longitudinal direction of the edge connecting element on which the at least one drainage channel section is provided.
• In an embodiment of the insulation plate according to the present invention, the insulation plate is, at the circumference of at least one side face, selected from the front side and the rear side, provided with an indentation for receiving an adhesive.
• In an embodiment of the insulation plate according to the present invention, the indentation has a predetermined depth.
• In an embodiment of the insulation plate according to the present invention, the insulation plate is further arranged like the insulation plate of the insulation wall according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• The insulation plate of according to the present invention is particularly suited for constructing the insulation wall according to an embodiment of the present invention. The use of the insulation plate according to an embodiment of the present invention in constructing an insulation wall according to an embodiment of the present invention offers the same advantages as discussed above with regard to the insulation wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The invention will hereafter be further elucidated by means of the following description and the appended figures.
• FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the rear side of an insulation plate according to an embodiment of the present invention for constructing an insulation wall according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 shows a frontal view of the insulation plate ofFIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 shows a side-view of the edge side of the insulation plate ofFIG. 1 provided with the rear ridge.
• FIG. 4 shows a side-view of the edge side of the insulation plate ofFIG. 1 provided with the groove.
• FIG. 5 shows a partial side-view of two insulation plates similar to the insulation plate shown inFIG. 1, interconnected by means of a tongue and groove joint.
• FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the tongue and groove joint between two insulation plates similar to the insulation plate shown inFIG. 1, wherein certain details of the insulation plate were left out.
• FIG. 7 shows a partial side-view of two insulation plates similar to the insulation plate shown inFIG. 1, interconnected by means of a half lap joint.
• FIG. 8 shows a cross section of an adhesion groove in an insulation plate according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 9 shows a detail of a side view of the edge side provided with the rear ridge, of an insulation plate according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
• The present invention will hereafter be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings, though the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings presented are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated, meaning that they are not drawn to scale and are solely for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.
• Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims are used for distinguishing between similar elements, and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. The terms are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention can operate in other sequences than those described or illustrated herein.
• Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes, and not necessarily for describing relative positions. The terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention described herein can operate in other orientations than those described or illustrated herein.
• The term “comprising” and terms derived from it, as used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. The term should be interpreted as specifying the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression “a device comprising means A and B” should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.
• FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of therear side3 of aninsulation plate1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Theinsulation plate1 comprises a front side (not pictured), arear side3 and fouredge sides4. The insulation wall according to an embodiment of the present invention is composed of a plurality of suchinterconnected insulation plates1. To allow theinsulation plate1 to be connected toother insulation plates1, theinsulation plate1 is provided with an edge connecting element5 on each of its edge sides4. Thus, at one of itsedge sides4, theinsulation plate1 is provided lengthwise with a tongue6 as the edge connecting element5. This tongue6 can be inserted into a groove7 which is provided lengthwise on anedge side4 of anadjacent insulation plate1 in the insulation wall, thus forming a tongue and groove joint between bothinsulation plates1. It should be noted that a tongue and groove joint is also known to persons skilled in the art as a tenon and groove joint, i.e., an alternative term is used for the tongue6. Theedge side4 which is located opposite from theedge side4 with the tongue6, is provided lengthwise with a groove7 or with side walls between which the groove7 is located for forming a tongue and groove joint with a tongue6 on anedge side4 of anadjacent insulation plate1 in the insulation wall. It should be noted that the groove7 is also known to persons skilled in the art as a mortise. The two remainingedge sides4 of theinsulation plate1 are provided lengthwise with a ridge8,9. The ridge8 on one of theseedge sides4 is arranged in such a way that the ridge8 is flush with or against thefront side2 of theinsulation plate1, and this ridge8 is called the front ridge8. The ridge9 on theedge side4, which is located opposite theedge side4 with the front ridge8, is arranged in such a way that the ridge9 is flush with or against therear side3 of theinsulation plate1, and this ridge9 is called the rear ridge9. The ridges8,9 are arranged for forming a half lap joint with a ridge8,9 on theedge side4 of anadjacent insulation plate1 in the insulation wall. The tongue6 of theinsulation plate1 is complementary to the groove7, and the front ridge8 is complementary to the rear ridge9.
• FIG. 1 also shows how the edge connecting elements5 on thedifferent edge sides4 of theinsulation plate1 merge or transition into each other at the transition betweenadjacent edge sides4, i.e., across the corners between adjacent edge sides4. Thus, the front ridge8 will only continue beyond the end of theedge side4 provided with the front ridge8 at the part of theadjacent edge side4 where a protruding element of the edge connecting element5 on theadjacent edge side4 is present. In the case of the tongue6, the tongue6 itself is the protruding element of the edge connecting element5, and in the case of the groove7, the side walls are the protruding elements of the edge connecting element5. The transition from the rear ridge9 to theadjacent edge sides4 occurs in the same way, but this is not shown inFIG. 1. And conversely, the tongue6 and the side walls of the groove7 will only continue at the positions where a ridge8,9 is located on the adjacent edge sides4.
• Therear side3 of theinsulation plate1 is provided lengthwise with a plurality ofadhesion grooves15. Theseadhesion grooves15 are arranged for receiving an adhesive (not pictured), such as for example glue or mortar, which is applied on the surface of theinsulation plate1 to affix wall cladding elements (not pictured), such as for example strip stones or tiles, to the insulation wall. Theadhesion grooves15 provide a better adhesion of the adhesive to the surface of theinsulation plate1 compared to aninsulation plate1 provided with a completely flat surface at therear side3. This is due to the fact that theadhesion grooves15 provide a larger contact area for the adhesive and that the adhesive can engage the inside of theadhesion grooves15. Furthermore, theadhesion grooves15 are preferably also formed in such a way that once the adhesive has set, it cannot become detached from theadhesion grooves15. In the embodiment example pictured here, theadhesion grooves15 are provided to this end with a trapezoidal cross section, as shown in detail inFIG. 8. Hardened adhesive in theadhesion groove15 cannot pass through the narrower entry aperture, located at the small base of the trapezoid shape, and engages the walls of theadhesion groove15, which are located at the sides of the trapezoid shape. In the embodiment example pictured here, theadhesion grooves15 have a wavelike shape, and thus follow a wavelike pattern. This allowslonger adhesion grooves15 to be provided at therear side3 of the insulation plate compared torectilinear adhesion grooves15 over the same distance, resulting in an even better adhesion of the adhesive to theinsulation plate1.
• Furthermore, one or morecircular recesses17 are provided at therear side3 of theinsulation plate1, which are arranged for mounting anchors by means of which theinsulation plate1, and thus the insulation wall, is affixed to the wall of a building. These anchors are for example screws provided with a dish-shaped end. When affixing theinsulation plate1 against the wall of the building, the screw is then first screwed through theinsulation plate1, or alternatively passed through ananchor opening18 arranged thereto in theinsulation plate1, after which the anchor's screw is further screwed into the wall of the building, optionally by means of a wall plug. The screw is screwed into the wall of the building until the dish-shaped end of the anchor is completely countersunk in thecircular recess17 in theinsulation plate1, the dish-shaped end thereby pressing theinsulation plate1 and thus the insulation wall firmly against the wall of the building. As the dish-shaped end of the anchor is capable of being countersunk in thecircular recess17 of theinsulation plate1 arranged thereto, this dish-shaped end will not hinder the application of the adhesive and the wall cladding elements onto the insulation wall.
• FIG. 2 shows a frontal view of theinsulation plate1 ofFIG. 1 in which thefront side2 of the insulation wall is visible. Thefront side2 of theinsulation plate1 is provided, as is therear side3, with thelengthwise adhesion grooves15, and also with thecircular recesses17 for the anchors having a central anchor opening18 therein.
• Thefront side2 of the insulation plate is further also provided withrectilinear ridges16 spaced apart at regular intervals. Theseridges16 serve as aids for the person skilled in the art to correctly align wall cladding elements to be affixed to the wall, and to provide the correct joint size between these wall cladding elements. As theinsulation plate1 of the embodiment example shown is provided at thefront side2 with therectilinear ridges16, but not at therear side3, the insulation plate can be used in two ways. Thefront side2 of theinsulation plate1 can be used for affixing wall cladding elements to the insulation wall with joints in between, whereas therear side3 of theinsulation plate1 can be used for affixing wall cladding elements to the insulation wall with no joints or only very small joints in between. This has the advantage that one type ofinsulation plate1 may be used, wherein, dependent on the choice to mount the wall cladding elements with or without joints, theinsulation plates1 need only to be reversed, for forming the insulation wall according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• Furthermore, thefront side2 of theinsulation plate1 is also provided withauxiliary marker lines19, which in the embodiment example shown inFIG. 2 are provided as rectilinear recesses in the crosswise direction of theinsulation plate1, and which are spaced apart at regular intervals. Theseauxiliary marker lines19 may, among other uses, be used as cutting lines for trimming theinsulation plates1, for example for cutting out an opening through theinsulation plate1 to allow utility lines to pass through the insulation wall, or for cutting off a part of aninsulation plate1 located at the circumference of the insulation wall. Theseauxiliary marker lines19 are also useful in fitting wall cladding elements to theinsulation plate1 before affixing the wall cladding elements. Therear side3 of theinsulation plate1 may, like thefront side2, be provided withauxiliary marker lines19, both in the lengthwise and in the crosswise direction of theinsulation plate1.
• FIG. 3 shows a side-view of theinsulation plate1 shown inFIG. 1, wherein the side-view is directed at theedge side4 on which the rear ridge9 is located. This figure shows thefront side2 of theinsulation plate1 at the top, and therear side3 of theinsulation plate1 at the bottom. At the left side, the figure shows theedge side4 of theinsulation plate1 provided with the tongue6, and at the right side the figure shows theedge side4 of theinsulation plate1 provided with the groove7.
• On both sides of the tongue6, adrainage channel section10 is visible, arranged as a semicircular recess along the longitudinal direction of the tongue6. Thesedrainage channel sections10 constitute a part of the drainage channel through the insulation wall according to an embodiment of the present invention. The at least one drainage channel through the insulation wall is formed by causing thedrainage channel sections10, provided on the edge connecting elements5 of theinterconnected insulation plates1, to adjoin each other at the ends of thedrainage channel sections10.
• Thedrainage channel sections10 in the embodiment example shown are located at both sides of the tongue6, so that adrainage channel section10 is always present on one side of the front ridge8 or the rear ridge9 on the adjacent edge sides. If theinsulation plate1 is then mounted with itsfront side2 orrear side3 against the wall of a building in constructing the insulation wall, with respectively theedge side4 with the front ridge8 or theedge side4 with the rear ridge8 directed upwards, one of thedrainage channel sections10 will always be provided at the upper end of a raised wall formed by the front ridge8 or the rear ridge9. This has the advantage that moisture penetrating the insulation wall is first drained away in thisdrainage channel section10, and thus in the drainage channel, and that the passage of further penetrating moisture is blocked by the raised walls formed by the front ridge8 or the rear ridge9. Thus, the front ridge8 or the rear ridge9 hereby form a barrier against the moisture penetrating between theinsulation plates1 of the insulation wall. Any moisture penetrating even further into the insulation wall, beyond the raised wall, can subsequently still be drained away in the seconddrainage channel section10.
• The blocking of the passage of penetrating moisture is also apparent in the simplified depiction inFIG. 6, where two of theinsulation plates1 shown inFIG. 1 are interconnected by means of a tongue and, groove joint, and wherein the front ridges8 are directed upwards. In this way, theinsulation plates1 can be mounted with theirfront sides2 against a wall of a building for forming an insulation wall, wherein wall cladding elements can then be affixed to therear side3. Here, the front ridges8 of theinsulation plates1 constitute the raised wall. As mentioned above, moisture penetrating between theinsulation plates1 into the insulation wall from theback side3 is thus first drained away in thedrainage channel section10 located before the front ridges8. The passage of moisture penetrating further is then blocked by the raised wall formed by the front ridges8. Finally, any moisture penetrating beyond the raised wall can still be drained away in the seconddrainage channel section10.
• In the embodiment example pictured inFIG. 3, thedrainage channel sections10 are formed as a recess in the outer surface of the edge connecting element5, namely the tongue6, but thedrainage channel sections10 may also be provided as an internal channel through the edge connecting element5, or as a combination of a recess in the outer surface and an internal channel. Moreover, thedrainage channel section10 does not necessarily need to be provided on the tongue6, but may also be provided on the other edge connecting elements5, such as the groove7, the front ridge8 and the rear ridge9.
• The tongue6 is further also provided with twoprotrusions12, which are complementary to the tworecesses11 provided in the side walls of the groove7. These corresponding recesses11 andprotrusions12 are arranged in such a way that the tongue6 and the groove7 on the edge sides4 of twoinsulation plates1 interconnected by means of a tongue and groove joint, snap together. Such a joint is shown in detail inFIG. 5.
• Also visible inFIG. 3, at thefront side2 of theinsulation plate1, is one of the rectilinear and raisedridges16 between which wall cladding elements can be affixed to theinsulation plate1, and thus to the insulation wall. Furthermore, both at thefront side2 and at therear side3 of theinsulation plate1, the recesses can be seen that constitute theauxiliary marker lines19 on theinsulation plate1.
• InFIG. 3, asmall recess11 is visible on the rear ridge9 in the longitudinal direction. Thisrecess11 constitutes one of thecomplementary recesses11 orprotrusions12 provided on the ridges8,9 of theinsulation plate1 so that the ridges8,9 ofinsulation plates1 interconnected by means of a half lap joint snap together. Such a half lap joint between twoinsulation plates1 is shown inFIG. 7.
• FIG. 4 shows a side-view of theinsulation plate1 shown inFIG. 1, wherein the side-view is directed at theedge side4 on which the groove7 is located. This figure shows thefront side2 of the insulation plate′1 at the top, and therear side3 of theinsulation plate1 at the bottom. At the left side, the figure shows theedge side4 of theinsulation plate1 provided with the rear ridge9, and at the right side the figure shows theedge side4 of theinsulation plate1 provided with the front ridge8.
• The front ridge8 is provided withprotrusions12 and arecess11, which are complementary torecesses11 and aprotrusion12 provided on the rear ridge9. These corresponding recesses11 andprotrusions12 are arranged in such a way that the ridges8,9 on the edge sides4 of twoinsulation plates1 interconnected by means of a half lap joint snap together. Such a joint is shown in detail inFIG. 7.
• Visible at thefront side2 of theinsulation plate1 are, again, therectilinear ridges16 between which wall cladding elements can be affixed to theinsulation plate1, and thus to the insulation wall. Furthermore, both at thefront side2 and at therear side3 of theinsulation plate1, theadhesion grooves15 can be seen that are provided for receiving an adhesive for wall cladding elements that is applied to theinsulation plate1.
• Although in the embodiment example shown, nodrainage channel section10 is located on the ridges8,9, it should be clear that the ridges8,9, too, may be provided with a recess, an internal channel, or a combination of both for forming adrainage channel section10. Thisdrainage channel section10 may be arranged in such a way that it is located in front of one of the sides of the tongue6 on anadjacent edge side4, or in such a way that it is located between the side walls of the groove7 on anadjacent edge side4. In this way, the tongue6 or the side walls of the groove7 can be used as a raised wall that forms a barrier against penetrating moisture.
• BothFIG. 3 andFIG. 4 show how theinsulation plate1 is provided, at the circumference of thefront side2 and therear side3, with anindentation13 formed by a stepwise sloping surface, followed by aflat end surface14. Herein, a first part of, the stepwise sloping surface always has a smaller angle of inclination than the second part of the stepwise sloping surface, which is followed by theflat end surface14. When twoinsulation plates1, provided in this or any other way with anindentation13 at the circumference of thefront side2 and/or therear side3, are joined together as shown inFIG. 5 orFIG. 7, a notch is formed in the plane constituted by the front sides or the rear sides of theinsulation plates1, at the joint between theinsulation plates1. In this notch, a sufficient amount of adhesive can be applied to bond theinsulation plates1 together and thereby strengthen the adhesion between theinsulation plates1. The adhesive applied has the additional advantage that the joint between bothinsulation plates1 is also sealed against penetrating moisture. In the embodiment example shown, theflat end surface14 constitutes the deepest point of theindentation13, located at a predetermined depth in theindentation13. This predetermined depth is chosen in such a way that a layer of adhesive can be applied in theindentation13, and thus also in the notch, for forming a substantially fully watertight seal in the notch. It should be clear that this deepest point of the indentation does not necessarily need to be constituted by aflat end surface14, but may also be provided in other ways.
• InFIG. 9, an alternative embodiment of theinsulation plate1 is shown. Here, theindentation13 at the circumference of thefront side2 and therear side3 of theinsulation plate1 is formed in a different way than that of the insulation plate shown inFIG. 1. At thefront side2 of theinsulation plate1, theindentation13 is formed by a sloping surface followed by a stepwise surface, ending in aflat end surface14. At thebottom side3 of the insulation plate, theindentation13 has a stepped shape which ends in aflat end surface14. It should be clear, then, that there are different ways in which theindentation13 may be implemented.
• The thickness of theinsulation plate1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be chosen depending on the desired insulation rate of the insulation wall, wherein a thicker insulation wall offers better thermal insulating properties than a thin insulation wall.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
• • 1 insulation plate
  • 2 front side
  • 3 rear side
  • 4 edge side
  • 5 edge connecting element
  • 6 tongue
  • 7 groove
  • 8 front ridge
  • 9 rear ridge
  • 10 drainage channel section
  • 11 corresponding recess
  • 12 corresponding protrusion
  • 13 indentation
  • 14 end surface
  • 15 adhesion groove
  • 16 ridge
  • 17 circular recess
  • 18 anchor opening

Claims (20)

1-16. (canceled)

17. An insulation plate for constructing an insulation wall, comprising a plurality of interconnected isolation plates, wherein the insulation plate is substantially rectangular in shape, wherein the insulation plate has a front side, a rear side, and four edge sides, wherein each edge side is provided lengthwise with an edge connecting element selected from the list consisting of a tongue, a groove, a ridge flush with the front side of the insulation plate, called the front ridge, and a ridge flush with the rear side of the insulation plate, called the rear ridge, wherein the tongue is essentially complementary to the groove and the front ridge is essentially complementary to the rear ridge, wherein at least one of the edge connecting elements at the edge sides is provided lengthwise with at least one drainage channel section, wherein the insulation plate is provided lengthwise at each edge side with a different edge connecting element selected from the list consisting of the tongue, the groove, the front ridge and the rear ridge, and wherein the tongue and the groove are provided at two opposing edge sides of the insulation plate, and the front ridge and the rear ridge are provided at the two remaining opposing edge sides of the insulation plate, and in that the different edge connecting elements of the insulation plate merge into each other at the corners between the edge sides such that no rectilinear passageways for moisture through the insulation wall are present in the joints between the interconnected insulation plates of the insulation wall.

18. The insulation plate according toclaim 17, wherein at least one drainage channel section is provided at one end with a raised wall.

19. The insulation plate according toclaim 18, wherein the raised wall is at least partly formed by the edge connecting element on the edge side adjacent to the edge side on which the at least one edge connecting element is provided.

20-21. (canceled)

22. The insulation plate according toclaim 17, wherein the at least one drainage channel section is provided as a recess along the longitudinal direction of the edge connecting element on which the at least one drainage channel section is provided.

23. The insulation plate according toclaim 17, wherein the insulation plate is, at the circumference of at least one side face, selected from the front side and the rear side, provided with an indentation for receiving an adhesive.

24. The insulation plate according toclaim 23, wherein the indentation has a predetermined depth.

25. The insulation plate according toclaim 17, wherein the edge connecting elements of the insulation plate are arranged such that complementary edge connection elements of the interconnected insulation plates of the insulation wall snap together.

26. The insulation plate according toclaim 25, wherein the edge connecting elements of the insulation plate are arranged such that complementary edge connection elements of the interconnected insulation plates of the insulation wall snap together by means of corresponding protrusions and recesses on the edge connecting elements.

27. The insulation plate according toclaim 17, wherein the insulation plate is provided with a plurality of adhesion grooves for receiving an adhesive for wall cladding elements on at least one side face, selected from the front side of the insulation plate and the rear side of the insulation plate, along at least one direction, selected from the longitudinal direction of the insulation plate and the crosswise direction of the insulation plate.

28. The insulation plate according toclaim 27, wherein the plurality of adhesion grooves have a wavelike shape.

29. The insulation plate according toclaim 27, wherein the plurality of adhesion grooves have a narrowed entry aperture.

30. The insulation plate according toclaim 17, wherein the insulation plate is provided, on at least one side face selected from the front side and the rear side, with a plurality of ridges along at least one direction selected from the longitudinal direction of the insulation plate and the crosswise direction of the insulation plate, and wherein the ridges are arranged such that they are spaced apart at regular intervals on the insulation wall.

31. The insulation plate according toclaim 30, wherein the insulation plate is provided, on at least one side face selected from the front side and the rear side, with a plurality of rectilinear ridges along at least one direction selected from the longitudinal direction of the insulation plate and the crosswise direction of the insulation plate, and wherein the ridges are arranged such that they are spaced apart at regular intervals on the insulation wall.

32. The insulation plate according toclaim 17, wherein the insulation plate comprises an insulating material selected from the list consisting of expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), polyurethane (PUR) and polyisocyanurate (PIR).

33. The insulation plate according toclaim 32, wherein the insulation plate comprises the insulating material expanded polystyrene (EPS).

34. The insulation plate according toclaim 17, wherein the insulation plate is arranged for mounting wall cladding elements, both at the front side and at the rear side.

35. An insulation wall for a building, wherein the insulation wall is composed of a plurality of interconnected, substantially identically shaped insulation plates, wherein each insulation plate is substantially rectangular in shape, wherein each insulation plate has a front side, a rear side, and four edge sides, wherein each edge side is provided lengthwise with an edge connecting element selected from the list consisting of a tongue, a groove, a ridge flush with the front side of the insulation plate, called the front ridge, and a ridge flush with the rear side of the insulation plate, called the rear ridge, wherein the tongue is essentially complementary to the groove and the front ridge is essentially complementary to the rear ridge, wherein at least one of the edge connecting elements at the edge sides is provided lengthwise with at least one drainage channel section, wherein each insulation plate is provided lengthwise at each edge side with a different edge connecting element selected from the list consisting of the tongue, the groove, the front ridge and the rear ridge, and wherein the tongue and the groove are provided at two opposing edge sides of each insulation plate, and the front ridge and the rear ridge are provided at the two remaining opposing edge sides of each insulation plate, and in that the different edge connecting elements of each insulation plate merge into each other at the corners between the edge sides such that no rectilinear passageways for moisture through the insulation wall are present in the joints between the interconnected insulation plates of the insulation wall, wherein the edge connecting elements of the insulation plates are arranged in such a way that the insulation plates of the insulation wall are interconnected by means of a connection selected from a tongue and groove joint, formed by said tongue and said groove, and a half lap joint, formed by said front ridge and said rear ridge, wherein at least one drainage channel is provided through the insulation wall for draining moisture penetrated between the insulation plates into the insulation wall, wherein the at least one drainage channel is composed of adjoining drainage channel sections of the interconnected insulation plates.

36. The insulation wall according toclaim 35, wherein the at least one drainage channel through the insulation wall is arranged in a downward direction of the insulation wall.

Images