AU2004210579A1 - Isolation clip - Google Patents

Description

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AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant/s: Actual Inventor/s: Fletcher Building Holdings Limited Johan Theodoor Gerlich Address for Service is: SHELSTON IP Margaret Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 CCN: 3710000352 Attorney Code: SW Telephone No: Facsimile No.

(02) 97771111 (02) 9241 4666 Invention Title: ISOLATION CLIP The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- File: 43706AUP00 500428198 1.DOC/5844 -la- ISOLATION CLIP Background of the Invention The present invention relates to building construction and more particularly but not exclusively to an isolation clip which may form part of a sound attenuation system for a building construction and in particular but again not exclusively to a wall system.

To the present time various proposals have been made to improve sound attenuation in building constructions. In many countries including New Zealand, building codes or regulations require various types of building constructions to satisfy sound attenuation characteristics. This is particularly the case in multi-tenancy dwellings where for example in New Zealand inter-tenancy walls are required to have a sound transmission class (STC) of at least Some proposals for sound attenuation utilise an isolation between parts of the building construction, for example the isolation of two opposing wall linings. In this way sound waves are not able to pass between any solid connections across the parts of the building construction. An example of this is the acoustic mount of Australian patent specification 19991737 (Lympike). This consists of a clip with a sound absorbing rubber insert, the clip being adapted to provide the connection, and the acoustic isolation, between two parts of a building construction such as a plasterboard wall and a block wall. The Lympike clip is of a complex multi-part construction and has its wall connector extending through an isolating bush inserted in the rubber insert to be secured on its opposite sides The present invention utilises the principle of isolation but in a simple yet effective manner.

Objects of the Invention It is an object of the invention to provide an isolation clip for use in providing sound attenuation in building constructions in a simple yet effective manner and/or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Further objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.

Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an isolation clip for a building construction including a first portion adapted to be secured to a first building element and a second, resilient, portion adapted to be provided for said first portion, said second portion being further adapted to receive and hold, and thereby provide a resilient mounting for, a spacer element which is use will space apart a second building element from said first building element and thereby provide sound attenuation across the building elements.

Preferably the spacing element is in the form of a furring channel or the like.

Preferably a flange of the furring channel is adapted to be held within a slit or groove provided in said resilient portion.

Preferably the resilient portion is of rubber, plastics, or the like.

Preferably the first portion provides a pair of spaced apart edges between which said second portion can be accommodated.

Preferably the first portion is in the form of a channel having two spaced apart opposed faces connected along one end and providing said respective edges at an opposite end.

Optionally one face may be substantially flat and the second may be substantially arcuate.

Optionally the first portion is adapted to be secured to said first building element in the form of a stud and said furring channel or other profile is adapted to be secured with a wall lining to form part of a sound attenuated wall system.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided an isolation clip substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a sound attenuated wall system incorporating a plurality of clips as defined in any one of the above eight paragraphs.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1: Shows a perspective view of a clip according to one possible embodiment of the invention; Figure 2: Shows an end view of the clip of Figure 1; Figure 3: Shows the clip of Figures 1 and 2 forming part of a wall system; Figure 4: Shows an end view of Figure 3; Figure 5: Shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a clip according to the invention; Figure 6: Shows an end view of the clip of Figure Figure 7: Shows a clip of Figures 5 and 6 forming part of a wall system or other construction.

Brief Description of Possible Embodiments of the Invention The present invention provides a clip which is intended to be used in a building construction in providing sound attenuation by means of the isolation of building construction elements.

The invention will be particularly described with reference to wall systems but it is to be understood that the clip of the present invention could be used in any appropriate part of a construction such as ceilings, floors and the like.

In a wall system sound attenuation can be best achieved by the complete isolation of the opposing wall linings. In this way sound waves are not able to pass through solid connections extending between the wall linings. Typically that isolation may require a pair of studs to which the separate wall linings are secured. The present invention however enables a single stud wall to achieve the equivalent isolation. Indeed the present invention is anticipated to achieve improved sound reduction possibly of the order of up to 8dB Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating according to ASTME413-87 being one of the relevant New Zealand building codes, this being over standard C section steel studs or common solid profile studs using other commonly used construction materials.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the clip 1 is shown in two parts. A first part 2 is in the form of a channel forming the body of the clip 1 and with upper edges 3 which may have inturned ends 4 adapted to accommodate a resilient mounting means 5. The mounting means may suitably be of rubber, plastics or other natural or synthetic material of the necessary resilient characteristics. In this embodiment the resilient member 5 is seen to have a slot or groove 6 and ledges 7 which can engage behind the downturned ends 4 of the edges 3. The body 2 of the clip 1 may suitably be provided with apertures 8 through which a screw, nail or the like 9 can pass to secure the clip 1 in position on a stud 10 or the like of a building construction (see Figures 3 and The body 2 of the clip 1 may suitably be of metal such as galvanised steel. Other materials such as rigid or semi-rigid plastics could be used. Suitably the thickness of the material of the body 2 may be of the order of to 2.0mm BMT. The body 2 in the form of a channel provides a pair of opposed surfaces 11 connected by a bridging portion 12. The body 2 may provide a resilience or spring effect to further enhance the resilience provided by the mounting means Referring to Figures 3 and 4 particularly, the clip 1 is shown with its body 2 secured by a suitable fastening means 9 to the stud 10. A spacing means 13 which is a furringchannel or other profile is shown with an edge or flange 14 positioned and held within the slit or groove 6 in the mounting means 5. The spacing means 13 is then secured in suitable manner such as by nails or screws to, in the example shown, a wall lining 15, the opposite wall lining 16 being secured to the stud Another clip 1 will be provided on the other edge or flange 14 of the furring channel 13 so that it is then held between a pair of clips 1. In this way a complete isolation can be achieved between the opposed wall linings 15 and 16.

It will be appreciated that the shape of the body 2 of the clip 1 in conjunction with the resilience of the mount 5 will provide a spring action so that the wall linings 15 and 16 can move independently in absorbing sound waves incident on them. Additionally the clip 1, through its resilient mount 5, will interrupt any direct and solid connection between the wall linings 15 and 16 and provide a dampening effect on any sound waves which may be transmitted through the construction.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 in an alternative embodiment, the mount 5 is shown positioned within an alternative profile of body 20 of clip 1, having a substantially flat surface 21 in this example and a substantially arcuate surface 22. In Figure 7 the clip 1 of Figures 5 and 6 is shown in position held by a fastening means 9 to a stud 10. A furring channel 13 or the like is again mounted in the resilient mounting means 5 for connection of one of the wall linings to the furring channel 13 and a second clip 1 (not shown) then being secured along the opposite edge 14 of the furring channel or the like 13.

It is to be appreciated that although two alternative profiles of the clip body 2 have been shown in the drawings any suitable profile may be used. Similarly although a particular design of resilient mount 5 has been shown any suitable p-ofile could be used as an altemrnative.

Wherein the following description reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. An isolation clip for a building construction including a first portion adapted to be secured to a first building element, and a second, resilient, portion adapted to be provided for said first portion, said second portion being further adapted to receive and hold, and thereby provide a resilient mounting for, a spacer element, which in use will space apart a second building element from said first building element, and thereby provide sound attenuation across the building elements.

2. An isolation clip as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient portion is adapted to receive therein said spacing element in the form of a furring channel or the like.

3. An isolation clip as claimed in claim 2 wherein said resilient portion is provided with a slit or groove to receive and hold a flange of the furring channel.

4. An isolation clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the resilient portion is of rubber, plastics or the like.

An isolation clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the first portion provides a pair of spaced apart edges between which said second portion can be accommodated.

6. An isolation clip as claimed in claim 5 in which the first portion is in the form of a channel having two spaced apart opposed faces connected along one end and providing said respective edges at an opposite end.

7. An isolation clip as claimed in any one of the preceding claims where said first portion is adapted to be secured to said first building element in the form of a stud and said spacer element is adapted to be secured with a wall lining, the wall lining and stud, in use, forming part of a sound attenuated wall system.

8. An isolation clip as claimed in claim 6 in which the first of said faces is substantially flat and adapted to be secured against a face of said first building element and the second of said faces is substantially arcuate and adapted in use to extend outwardly and away from said first building element.

9. An isolation clip substantially and herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings. A sound attenuated wall system incorporating a plurality of clips as defined in any one of claims 1 to 9. DATED this 10 th Day of September 2004 Shelston IP Attorneys for: Fletcher Building Holdings Limited