GB2356205A

GB2356205A - Resilient member with projections extending from at least one surface

Info

Publication number: GB2356205A
Application number: GB9925092A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith James Hunter Anderson
Original assignee: Instafibre Ltd
Current assignee: Instafibre Ltd
Priority date: 1999-10-22
Filing date: 1999-10-22
Publication date: 2001-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 2019-10-22
Also published as: GB9925092D0; GB2356205B

Abstract

A resilient member (14) comprises two elongate opposed surfaces, where at least one of the surfaces has a plurality of projections. The projections may be sinusoidal, pyramidal or frusto-conical (Figures 2, 4, 5 and 9) in shape and may be repeated in a regular pattern across the surface of the member. The member is preferably formed from a rubber or plastics material and may be a laminate. In use, at least one resilient member is adhesively attached to a batten (12), forming a unit, a plurality of units are then located between a floor (2) and a sub-structure (3).

Description

2356205 BUILDING MATERIALS The present invention relates to materials for

use in building and more particularly to materials for supporting a surface, such as a floor, wall or ceiling, in relation to a sub-structure, such as a structural floor, wall or ceiling of a building.

A building support unit that supports a surface such as a floor, wall or ceiling, in relation to a sub-structure, is typically a batten. Laying a floor, for example, involves placing a series of elongate battens on a structural sub-structure, e.g. a floor of a building, then applying the surface, e.g. the floor layer, on top of the battens. In this manner, the battens provide structural support and space the surface a short distance, i.e. the width of a batten, from the sub-structure. Of course, walls and ceilings may be supported or suspended from an underlying sub structure in a similar manner.

obviously, it is important that the surface layer supported by the batten in relation to the sub structure be flat. In the case of a floor surface, the surface must be level. However, providing such a flat surface is made difficult because the surface of the sub-structure that the battens are placed on is typically uneven.

High impact noise and vibration originating from the surface layer is transferred to the sub-structure of the building through the battens and at any point in direct contact with the sub-structure. This can cause loud airborne noises to be transmitted through the floor, ceiling or walls to another room in the building.

Additionally, battens are usually constructed of wood and therefore adequate ventilation must be 2 provided.

In GB patent no. 1,478,8SO, there is described a floor assembly for providing semi-sprung flooring in sports halls. Each batten in the floor assembly has a layer of polyurethane foam attached to a side of the batten facing a structural floor of a building. The batten provides a degree of solidity to the semi sprung floor, while the layer of polyurethane foam provides the semi-sprung floor with a degree of resiliency. Due to the acoustical insulating and absorbing properties of foam, the layer of foam also acts to dampen high impact noise and vibration originating from the semi-sprung floor. To provide adequate ventilation for the wood battens, a plurality of vertically sided slot recesses are formed in the layer of foam.

However, despite these features that are disclosed, the damping and ventilation effects of the foam layer are limited because the slot recesses are configured in a manner to restrict air from flowing freely across the surface of the foam layer and the surface contact of the layer of foam with the structural floor of the building is not minimised.

Specifically, the slot recesses are provided for ventilation purposes and are minimised such that the area of the foam layer that is intact with the structural floor of the building is maximised.

Therefore, since noise and vibration conducted to the structural floor of the building is dependent on the surface contact of the foam layer, in such prior art arrangements where the surface contact of the foam layer is not minimised, the effectiveness of the foam layer to reduce the noise and vibration conducted to the floor is not fully realised.

Additionally, where the surface of the sub- structure is uneven, the floor surface supported by the batten will tend to be uneven when the surface contact between the foam layer and the surface of the sub-structure is maximised. In particular, when a load is applied to such prior art floor assemblies, the foam layer is prone to "bottom-out", i.e. the entire surface of the recesses comes into contact with the structural floor of the building, as the load increases. When this occurs, the ventilation and damping effects of the foam layer are further inhibited.

In view of this, it would be desirable to provide a building support unit that allows minimum surface contact with a building structure and that allows air to flow freely between the supported layer and the underlying sub- structure providing adequate ventilation while limiting conduction of noise and vibration to and via the sub-structure.

According to the invention there is provided a resilient member for interposition between a support batten and a building sub-structure or between a support batten and a floor, wall or ceiling supported by a plurality of such battens, the member having two opposed elongate surfaces, one of which is intended to be in contact with the batten and the other with the sub-structure, at least one of the surfaces being formed with a plurality of projections whereby contact between the resilient member and the batten or substructure is minimised, the projections each being shaped such that the area of contact between the projections and the batten or sub-structure, as the case may be, increases as a load applied to the surface increases.

Said at least one surface may be profiled and provide a formation of said projections, and the 4 projections may be formed in a pattern.

Said at least one surface may be formed with rounded profiled projections, and each projection may have a sinusoidal cross-section in a plane normal to the opposed surfaces. Preferably each projection has a sinusoidal cross- section in any plane normal to the opposed surfaces.

In another embodiment of the present invention, each projection may be of frusto-conical shape or alternatively each projection is in the shape of a truncated pyramid.

Each projection may be recessed at the apex of its profile.

Alternatively, the at least one surface is profiled to provide an undulating wave formation.

Preferably the resilient member has a width of one or more wavelengths of successive crests of adjacent rounded or undulating wave projections.

The projections may be arranged in one or more straight lines parallel to the length of the member; the projections may also be arranged in one of more straight lines normal to the length of the member. In addition or alternatively thereto, the projections are arranged in one or more straight lines diagonal to the length of the member.

Both surfaces of the member may be provided with projections.

The member may be formed of a synthetic or natural material, for example a material comprising rubber. Such material may comprise bonded compressible granular rubber material or closed cell cured foamed rubber material. Alternatively, the member may be formed of closed cell synthetic plastics material.

The present invention also provides a building support unit for supporting a surface layer in relation to a sub-structure, said support unit comprising a batten and a resilient member according to the present invention.

Preferably, said at least one surface of the member is arranged to contact the surface layer. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, when the member is profiled on both opposed surfaces, said at least one surface is arranged to contact the sub-structure.

The resilient member is preferably secured by adhesive material or pinning to the batten.

In a building support unit according to the present invention, a plurality of said members may be is provided in spaced apart relationship on said batten. Alternatively, the resilient member is linearly coextensive with the batten or the members are arranged in abutting end to end relationship on the batten. Where the members are so arranged in abutting relationship, provision may be made for interlocking or otherwise aligning adjacent members together.

The present invention further provides a building assembly for installation on a surface of a substructure, said assembly comprising a surface layer and a plurality of building support units according to the present invention.

The present invention further provides a method of constructing a building assembly on a surface of a sub-structure, comprising the steps of positioning a plurality of building support units according to the present invention in spaced formation over a surface of the sub-structure, and securing the surface layer to exposed surfaces of the building support units.

A number of embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure la is a cross-sectional view of a building assembly according to the present invention including a floor; Figure lb is a cross-section similar to that of Figure la but showing the effect of applying a further load thereto; Figure 2 is an enlarged end view of the resilient member shown in Figures la and lb as viewed in the direction of the arrow 2 in Figure 3; Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of the resilient member as is used in the assembly shown in Figures la and lb as viewed in the direction of the arrow 3 in Figure 2; Figures 4a and 4b are plan and cross sectional views respectively of a further embodiment of a resilient member according to the present invention, Figure 4b being a cross-sectional view taken on the line A-A in Figure 4a; Figure 4c is a perspective view of a projection of the type present in the resilient member shown in Figures 4a and 4b; Figures 5a and 5b are plan and cross sectional views respectively of a still further embodiment of a resilient member according to the present invention, Figure 5b being a cross-sectional view taken on the line B-B in Figure 5a; Figure 5c is a perspective view of a projection of the type present in the resilient member shown in Figures 5a and 5b; Figure 6 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of a resilient member according to the present invention; Figure 7 is a plan view of yet another embodiment of a resilient member according to the present 7 invention; Figure 8 is a plan view of yet another embodiment of a resilient member according to the present invention; and Figure 9 is a perspective view of an alternative form of projection such as may be used in a resilient member according to the present invention.

Throughout the following description, the same reference numerals are used to designate like elements.

In Figures la and 1b, there is shown in crosssection, part of a building assembly 4 for supporting a floor 2 in spaced relationship to a building sub- structure 3 which is typically formed of concrete. The building assembly comprises a plurality of building units 1, each of which comprises a batten 12, shown in cross-section and extending normally to the plane of the drawing, and one or more resilient members according to the invention affixed thereto.

Each batten may be of wood, metal, moulded plastics material, high or medium density fibre ("hdf" or "mdf") material or any other material such as is traditionally used in the building industry for such purposes.

Each resilient member 14 is formed by injection moulding, compression moulding or a like process according to the material to be employed, from a natural or synthetic material, such as, for example, a material comprising natural or synthetic rubber. A suitable material for forming the resilient member is one which comprises cured particulate or granular rubber material which can be bonded together to form a composite material that can be moulded into any desired shape by compression with the application of heat. As an alternative, a resilient member can be formed by moulding curable synthetic plastics material or rubber material which has a closed cell structure.

For providing a building assembly such as that shown in Figures la and 1b, resilient members 14 of different heights may be employed to accommodate any undulation of the basic sub-structure 3 on which the floor 2 is to be laid. Thus, in constructing such an assembly, a constructor will have a range of resilient members available on which to lay the battens 12 and will select whichever one will accommodate the gap presented between the sub- structure 3 and any given batten. Although the embodiment of a building unit as illustrated in Figure la and lb is shown with the resilient members in contact with the concrete substructure, it is also envisaged that the resilient members can be positioned between the battens and the surface supported thereby.

The resilient members can also be of different densities depending upon the required performance characteristics. Advantageously, the material of the resilient member is a material that does not absorb moisture.

The resilient member according to the invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 has opposed substantially planar and profiled surfaces 24,22. The planar surface 24 is fixed to a surface of the batten 12 by means such as adhesive, tacks, staples or the like. The profiled surface 22 is configured with a plurality of rounded profiled projection 26 each of which is substantially symmetrical about an axis 38 that is normal to the plane defined by the planar surface 24.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the profile of the projections in the embodiment shown therein is substantially sinusoidal and each projection is 9 symmetrical about its axis which is normal to he planar surface. The shape of each projection is such that, cut in any plane normal to the planar surface, it has a sinusoidal profile.

The projections 26 are aligned in rows both linearly and transversely, as shown in Figures la, lb and 3, though as can be seen from the embodiment of the resilient member shown in Figures 5a and 5b, projections may be staggered transversely of the length of the member. In alternative embodiments, the projections may be more randomly positioned.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the surface 22 of the resilient member 14 is shown as having a sinusoidal wavelike shape transversely of the length of the member. Alternatively, though not shown, the wave-like profile may extend diagonally to the length of the resilient member.

Although the building assembly may similarly apply to ceilings and walls, for clarity the following description will concern the laying of floors.

Figures la and lb show the changes in deformation of the rounded projections 26 of the resilient member 14 when a load is applied to the building support unit 1, wherein Li < L2 - Figures la and lb show cross sectional views of the building assembly 4 when loads L. and L2 are applied to the building assembly 4 at separate times. When L, is applied as the normal loading of the floor, less of the resilient member is in contact with the surface of the structural floor of a building 3, or floor surface than when an additional loading L2 is applied. The profiled surface 22 is configured such that when the building support unit 1 is positioned between an underside of the floor 2 and the sub-structure 3 of the building, the surface contact of the profiled surface with the building structure increases as the load increases on the support unit. As the load increases, the surface area of the profiled surface increases from area 30 under load Ll to area 32 under load L2 - Of course, the member 14 is sufficiently resilient that when the heavier load L2 is removed and a smaller load Li is applied, the profiled surface 22 that is in contact with the underlying structure returns to the profile shown in Figure la.

In this embodiment, each projection in the plurality of rounded projections minimises the surface contact between the resilient member 14 and floor of the building 3. In this configuration, noise and vibration transmitted to the floor is minimised is because the points where noise and vibration are transmitted are minimised. Minimising the contact between the building support unit 4 and the floor 3 of the building also provides for the floor surface 2 to sit evenly and flatly on the building support unit 4 if the floor 3 of the building has an uneven surface.

When there is a plurality of rounded projections 26, the overall effect is that the building unit 1 sits evenly on the sub-structure 3 of the building. The building support unit 1 also provides ventilation.

Air may pass freely over the width of the profiled surface at the convex rounded portions 40 of the profiled surface 14 across the entire width of the resilient member.

Preferably, as shown in Figures la and 1b, the width of the resilient member 14 is equal to the width of the batten. The rounded projections 26 are conveniently sized so that there may be one or two wavelength, i.e. the distance between two crests 34,36 of adjacent bumps, per batten width.

In Figures 4a and 4b, there is shown a further embodiment of a resilient member according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the projections are aligned in the same formation as that shown in the embodiment of Figure 3, but in the case of the embodiment shown in Figures 4a and 4b, each projection is in the shape of the frustum of a cone. The embodiment shown in Figures Sa and 5b is substantially similar to that of Figures 4a and 4b but has a recess formed in its summit such that the projection has an annular rim which will initially be urged against the sub-structure of the building when a load is applied.

The cross-section shown in Figures 4a and Sa would apply equally to a frustum of a pyramid having a square or rectangular base, as shown in Figure 5c.

A resilient member according to the present invention may, as shown in Figure 7, be double sided, which is to say that it can have projections on both opposed surfaces where greater flexibility is required of the surface supported by building units of which it forms a part.

Resilient members according to the present invention may be of any desired length and be provided as discrete pieces which can be laid down either in spaced-apart relationship or in end-to-end abutting relationship, according to requirements. Alternatively, a single resilient member may extend the complete length of a batten and be cut from a roll of such material. Where it is provided in the form of discrete pieces, these pieces can each be formed with a tongue at one end and a recess at the other so that they can be aligned in interlocking relationship.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A resilient member for interposition between a support batten and a building sub-structure or between a support batten and a floor, wall or ceiling supported by a plurality of such battens, the member having two opposed elongate surfaces, one of which is intended to be in contact with the batten and the other with the sub-structure, at least one of the surfaces being formed with a plurality of projections whereby contact between the resilient member and the batten or sub-structure is minimised, the projections each being shaped such that the area of contact between the projections and the batten or sub structure, as the case may be, increases as a load applied to the surface increases.

2. A member according to Claim 1 wherein said at least one surface is profiled and provides a formation of said projections.

3. A member according to either one of Claims 1 and 2 wherein said projections are formed in a pattern.

4. A member according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein said at least one surface is formed with rounded profiled projections.

5. A member according to Claim 4 wherein each projection has a sinusoidal cross-section in a plane normal to the opposed surfaces.

6. A member according to Claim 5 wherein each projection has a sinusoidal cross-section in any plane normal to the opposed surfaces.

7. A member according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein each projection is of frusto-conical shape.

8. A member according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein each projection is in the shape of a truncated pyramid.

9. A member according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein each projection is recessed at the apex of its profile.

10. A member according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the at least one surface is profiled to provide an undulating wave formation. is

11. A building support unit according to Claim 10 wherein the resilient member has a width of one or more wavelengths of successive crests of adjacent rounded projections. 20

12. A member according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the projections are arranged in one or more straight lines parallel to the length of the member. 25

13. A member according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the projections are arranged in one of more straight lines normal to the length of the member. 30

14. A member according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the projections are arranged in one or more straight lines diagonal to the length of the member. 35

15. A member according to any one of the preceding Clams wherein both surfaces of the member are provided with projections.

16. A member according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the member is formed of a synthetic or natural material.

17. A member according to Claim 16 wherein the member is formed of a material comprising rubber.

18. A member according to Claim 17 wherein the member is formed of a material comprising bonded compressible rubber granular material

19. A member according to Claim 17 wherein the member is formed of closed cell cured foamed rubber material.

20. A member according to Claim 16 wherein the member is formed of closed cell synthetic plastics material.

21. A member according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the member is formed as a laminate.

22.A resilient member for interposition between a support batten and a building sub-structure or between a support batten and a floor, wall or ceiling supported by a plurality of such battens, the member being substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. A building support unit for supporting a surface layer in relation to a sub-structure, said support unit comprising a batten and a resilient member as claimed in any preceding Claim.

24. A building support unit according to Claim 23 wherein said at least one surface is arranged to contact the surface layer.

25. A building support unit according to Claim 23 wherein said at least one surface is arranged to contact the sub-structure.

26. A building support unit according to any one of Claims 23 to 25 wherein the resilient member is secured by adhesive material to the batten.

27. A building support unit according to any one of Claims 23 to 26 wherein a plurality of said members is provided in spaced apart relationship on said batten.

28. A building support unit according to any one of 20 Claims 23 to 26 wherein said member is linearly coextensive with the batten.

29. A building support unit for supporting a surface layer in relation to a sub-structure, substantially as 25 hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

30. A building assembly for placing on a surface of a sub-structure, said assembly comprising a surface 30 layer and a plurality of building support units according to any of claims 23 to 29.

31. A building assembly for placing on a surface of a sub-structure, substantially as hereinbefore described 35 and illustrated with reference to the accompanying - 16 drawings.

32. A method of constructing a building assembly on a surface of a substructure, comprising the steps of positioning a plurality of building support units in accordance with any of claims 23 to 30 in spaced formation over a surface of the sub- structure; and securing the surface layer to an exposed surface of the building support units.