GB2412930A

GB2412930A - Sound absorbent insulation for flooring

Info

Publication number: GB2412930A
Application number: GB0506994A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Jaina
Original assignee: T D I
Current assignee: T D I
Priority date: 2004-04-08
Filing date: 2005-04-06
Publication date: 2005-10-12
Also published as: GB0506994D0

Abstract

The insulating device comprises a resilient body 1 secured to a floor member 7 of a building. The device is preferably planar. It may comprise a cellular or fibrous body, the fibres being limited to the interior or the device being wholly fibrous. The device may have a surface profile, such as protrusions 6, adapted to space the device from a building element 7. The protrusions may be integral to the device and may be rounded. The device may be sound insulating. It may be made of rubber or a rubber-like material. Also claimed is a floor 2 incorporating the device, wherein the device is interposed between a joist 7 and superposed boards 8 and wherein the device is secured by adhesive or mechanical means.

Description

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

The invention relates to building construction, and particularly to an insulating device used therein.

In modem building construction, particularly in multiple tenancy dwellings such as flats or apartments, there is a problem of noise being transmitted from one dwelling to another. This problem is exacerbated by a trend towards use of flooring with no carpet or rug covering.

It is an object of the invention to seek to mitigate this problem.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an insulating device for use in building construction, comprising a resilient body physically securable by securing means to a floor member of a building construction.

Using the invention it is possible to obviate noise transfer between floors in a building. T]

he securing means may comprise a staple or staples, screws, nails, tacks or the like.

The body may comprise a cellular body or a fibrous body.

The body may comprise a substantially planar body member. This provides a relatively simple yet effective insulating device, particularly when the body member may comprise substantially planar opposed major surfaces spaced by a substantially cellular or fibrous interior.

When the interior of the body is substantially fibrous, the body may be wholly fibrous, including the major surfaces thereof.

The body may be between 17-25 mm thick, suitably 20 mm thick.

At least one major surface may have a surface profile adapted to space the device in use from an element used in building construction, such as a similar device or an element such as a part of a floor.

In each case, the surface profile may comprise a plurality of protrusions protruding from a major surface. Suitably, such protrusions may comprise an integral part of the device.

The protrusions may each comprise an upwardly rounded protrusion as considered in a direction away from the major surface. This is an effective construction as it provides support for a superposed element.

The device may comprise a sound insulating device, which may suitably be made of rubber or a rubber like material.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a building construction, incorporating a device as hereinbefore defined.

The construction may comprise a floor, a plurality of spaced-apart joists and a board or boards supported thereby, and the device may be interposed between a joist and a superposed board or boards.

There may be securing means for securing the device to a joist, suitably an adhesive, which may comprise a self-adhesive, or mechanical means.

An insulating device embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a device according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is, to an enlarged scale, a schematic transverse sectional view of a floor which incorporates the device of Fig. I. Referring to the drawings, there is shown an insulating device 1 for use in building construction 2, comprising a resilient, in the embodiment, cellular body 3. The body 3 provides for "give", and sound insulation, when the device l is used as a sound insulation in building construction 2 such as a floor. The device 1 is suitably made of a rubber or rubber- like material which has substantially planar opposite major surfaces 4, with an interior cellular structure. The cells are filled with air or other gas. At least one major surface 4 has a surface profile provided by a series of discrete upwardly rounded protrusions 6, which are formed integrally with the device 1 when the device is formed by any suitable method such as moulding.

In a second embodiment, not shown, the planar body 3 is a resilient fibrous body.

Suitably, the body is wholly fibrous, including the major surfaces thereof. The body is between 17-25 mm thick, in the embodiment suitably 20 mm thick.

A typical use of the device of Figs. 1 and 2 is as a sound insulator in a floor 2. In this use, the device 1 is formed, or cut, to a desired width, and is then laid on individual joists 7 of the floor 2, (at any desired spacing, say 480mm or 600mm), between these joists 7 and a superimposed floor board, or boards 8. The device 1 is secured to the joists 7 by any suitable means (not shown) such as adhesive, for example a self- adhesive, or mechanical means such as nails, a staple or staples, screws, tacks or the like. Also, any desired thickness of device I can be built up using a suitable number of devices 1 laid one on another. In Fig. 2, an array 9 of two superimposed devices 1 is shown. The joist(s) 7 thus provide a floor member of a building construction.

It will be understood that the second embodiment having a resilient fibrous body is used in an analogous manner to that described in Figs. 1 and 2.

Thus in use of either embodiment, transfer of noise in a vertical direction is obviated by the device which acts in cutting out noise from say an upper to lower dwelling in multi- tenancy buildings, or from one upper floor to another lower floor in a single multi- storey dwelling.

When the protrusions 6 are incorporated, in either embodiment, the floor board(s) 8 contact same at the rounded upper (in use) surface. There is thus a gap between the protrusions 6, the floor board(s) 8 and the body 3 which allows for "give" when someone walks over the floor, or when furniture is placed thereon. Also, the gap with the cellular or fibrous body 3 assists in obviating the transfer of noise through the device 1 in a vertical direction, so assisting in cutting out noise from say an upper to lower dwelling in multi-tenancy buildings, or from one upper floor to another lower floor in a single multi-storey dwelling.

A device 1 embodying the invention and described with reference to the drawing can meet building regulations relating to noise transfer and the abatement thereof.

Thus, using a resilient fibrous body embodying this invention, it is possible to provide that: 1. The weighted sound reduction index (Rw) is increased by 3dB after fixing a mm body to the top of joists (a 3dB improvement in the airborne sound insulation); and 2. The weighted normalised impact sound pressure level (LAW) is decreased by 3dB after fixing a 20 mm body to the top of the joists (a 3 dB improvement in the impact sound insulation).

Claims

1. An insulating device for use in building construction, comprising a resilient body, physically securable by securing means to a floor member of a building construction.

2. A device according to Claim 1, comprising a substantially planar body member.

3. A device according to Claim 2, comprising a resilient cellular body.

4. A device according to Claim 2, comprising a resilient fibrous body.

5. A device according to Claim 3, the body member comprising substantially planar opposed major surfaces spaced by a substantially cellular interior.

6. A device according to Claim 4, the body member comprising substantially opposed major surfaces spaced by a substantially fibrous interior.

7. A device according to Claim 6, the device being wholly fibrous.

8. A device according to any of Claims 5 to 7, at least one major surface having a surface profile adapted to space the device in use from an element used in building construction.

9. A device according to Claim 8, the element comprising a similar device.

10. A device according to Claim 8 or Claim 9, the element further comprising an element such as a part of a floor.

11. A device according to any of Claims 8 to 10, the surface profile comprising a plurality of protrusions protruding from a major surface.

12. A device according to Claim 11, the protrusions comprising an integral part of the device.

13. A device according to Claim 12, the protrusions each comprising an upwardly rounded protrusion as considered in a direction away from the major surface.

14. A device according to any preceding claim, comprising a sound insulating device.

15. A device according to any preceding claim, made of rubber or a rubberlike material.

16. An insulating device, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

17. A building construction, incorporating a device according to any preceding claim.

18. A building construction according to Claim 17, comprising a floor.

19. A building construction according to Claim 18, the floor comprising a plurality of spaced-apart joists and a board or boards supported thereby, the device being interposed between a joist and a superposed board or boards.

20. A building construction according to Claim 19, there being securing means for securing the device to a joist.

21. A building construction according to Claim 20, the securing means comprising an adhesive.

22. A building construction according to Claim 21, the adhesive comprising a self-adhesive.

23. A building construction according to Claim 20, the means comprising mechanical means.

24. A building construction, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.