초록

An insulator is provided having a folded, stacked substrate with a plurality of insulating cells. The substrate is folded such that cells on one folded portion are interleaved with cells on another portion.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An insulator, comprising: a foldable substrate; insulating sub-panels formed on said substrate and positioned between predetermined creases, said sub-panels each including a plurality of insulating cells; wherein adjacent ones of said sub-panels are folded in a substantially

What is claimed is: 1. An insulator, comprising: a foldable substrate; insulating sub-panels formed on said substrate and positioned between predetermined creases, said sub-panels each including a plurality of insulating cells; wherein adjacent ones of said sub-panels are folded in a substantially accordion-like structure and adjacently substantially permanently secured to one another in a face-to-face fashion, such that insulating cells associated with opposing faces are substantially interleaved. 2. An insulator in accordance with claim 1, comprising pairs of creases between each of said sub-panels. 3. An insulator in accordance with claim 1, said cells formed on a first surface of said substrate. 4. An insulator in accordance with claim 3, said cells formed on a second surface of said substrate. 5. An insulator in accordance with claim 1, wherein pairs of said sub-panels comprise complementary spaced cells such that, when folded in said stacked accordion-like structure, cells on opposing panels are substantially adjacent and define a substantially uniform insulating barrier. 6. An insulator in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sub-panels are adhesively adhered to one another. 7. An insulator in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sub-panels are secured to one another by one or more facing layers applied to the substantially accordion-like structure. 8. An insulator in accordance with claim 1, wherein predetermined numbers of said cells are filled with an insulating material other than air. 9. An insulator in accordance with claim 1, wherein pluralities of cells include different materials such that portions of said insulator have different rigidities. 10. An insulator, comprising: a substrate adapted to be folded, forming one or more creases; insulating sub-panels formed on said substrate and positioned between predetermined creases, said sub-panels each including a plurality of insulating cells; wherein said sub-panels are folded in a substantially accordion-like structure and adjacently adhered to one another face-to-face in a substantially permanent fashion. 11. An insulator in accordance with claim 10, comprising pairs of creases between each of said sub-panels. 12. An insulator in accordance with claim 10, said cells formed on a first surface of said substrate. 13. An insulator in accordance with claim 12, said cells formed on a second surface of said substrate. 14. An insulator in accordance with claim 10, wherein pairs of said sub-panels comprise complementary spaced cells such that, when folded in a stacked accordion-like structure, cells on opposing panels are substantially adjacent and define a substantially uniform insulating barrier. 15. An insulator in accordance with claim 10, said cells being cells in an open-celled membrane. 16. An insulator in accordance with claim 10, said substrate being a closed-celled membrane. 17. An insulator in accordance with claim 10, wherein said sub-panels are adhesively adhered to one another. 18. An insulator in accordance with claim 10, wherein said sub-panels are secured to one another by one or more facing layers applied to the substantially accordion-like structure. 19. An insulator in accordance with claim 10, wherein predetermined numbers of said cells are filled with an insulating material other than air. 20. An insulator in accordance with claim 10, wherein pluralities of cells include different materials such that portions of said insulator have different rigidities. 21. An insulator, comprising: a substrate folded in a stacked accordion-like structure, forming one or more creases; and insulating sub-panels formed on said substrate and positioned between creases; wherein pairs of said sub-panels comprise a plurality of complementary spaced cells such that, when folded in said stacked accordion-like structure, the sub-panels are substantially adjacently Permanently secured to one another face-to-face and define a substantially uniform insulating barrier, each of said sub-panels including a plurality of cells. 22. An insulator in accordance with claim 21, wherein said sub-panels are adhesively adhered to one another. 23. An insulator in accordance with claim 21, wherein said sub-panels are secured to one another by one or more facing layers applied to the stacked accordion-like structure. 24. An insulator in accordance with claim 21, wherein predetermined numbers of said cells are filled with an insulating material other than air. 25. An insulator in accordance with claim 21, wherein pluralities of cells include different materials such that portions of said insulator have different rigidities.