NZ714372A - A Sound Attenuation Stud - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sound attenuation stud. The stud includes two engagement portions for engaging within a building element, and two sound attenuation formations located between the engagement portions. Each sound attenuation formation includes a first portion relative to which second and third portions extend. The second and third portions are less than half the length of the engagement portions, and the two engagement portions taper. d and third portions extend. The second and third portions are less than half the length of the engagement portions, and the two engagement portions taper.

Description

A SOUND ATTENUATION STUD TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a sound attenuation stud.

BACKGROUND The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

In buildings such as high rise apartment blocks, sound (esp. noise) undesirably carries between building elements such as hollow walls, ceilings or floors that can separate rooms.

AU 2004203463 discloses a sound attenuation stud for engaging within a building element. The stud includes a sound attenuation formation which substantially deforms in use to provide sound attenuation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sound attenuation stud including two engagement portions for engaging within a building element and two sound attenuation formations located between the engagement portions, each sound attenuation formation including a first portion relative to which second and third portions extend, wherein the second and third portions are less than half the length of the engagement portions, and the two engagement portions taper.

Optionally, the two engagement portions taper toward each other when approaching the sound attenuation formations. The stud may further include a pair of interconnection portions interconnected between respective engagement portions and sound attenuation formations. The angle between each interconnection portion and engagement portion may be between 90 and 100 degrees, and preferably about 92 to 96 degrees.

Optionally, the engagement portions extend obliquely to the building element in use. Optionally, there is a gap between each engagement portion and the building element in use. Optionally, each engagement portion is undulating to facilitate screw fastening.

The sound attenuation stud may have a uniform thickness, the lengths of the first, second and third portions being small enough to resist substantial deformation in use to thereby provide a structurally stable sound attenuation stud. The second and third portions may extend orthogonally from the first portion. The sound attenuation stud may include exactly two sound attenuation formations.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sound attenuation stud including two engagement portions for engaging within a building element, and two sound attenuation formations, each sound attenuation formation including a first portion relative to which second and third portions extend, wherein the second and third portions are less than half the length of the engagement portions, and the two engagement portions taper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sound attenuation stud; Figure 2 is an end sectional view of the sound attenuation stud of Figure 1 engaged within a wall, with all dimensions shown in millimetres; Figure 3 is a box-like beam formed by engaging two like sound attenuation studs of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is an end sectional view of the sound attenuation stud in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS There is provided an extruded metal (e.g. steel or aluminium) sound attenuation stud 2 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. As can best be seen in Figure 2, the stud 2 includes two engagement portions 4a, 4b for engaging within a hollow building wall having two (or more) sheets of plasterboard 6a, 6b. The stud 2 includes exactly two sound attenuation formations 8a, 8b located between the engagement portions 4a, 4b. Each sound attenuation formation 8 includes a first portion 10 relative to which a second portion 12 and a third portion 14 orthogonally extend. The stud 2 is of uniform thickness, and the lengths of the first, second and third portions 10, 12, 14 are small enough to resist substantial deformation in use to thereby provide a structurally stable sound attenuation stud 2. A detailed description of the stud 2 is provided below.

With particular reference to Figure 2, the second and third portions 12, 14 of a first sound attenuation formation 8a are of greater length than the second and third portions 12, 14 of a second sound attenuation formation 8b. Further, the second and third portions 12, 14 are less than half the length of the engagement portions 4a, 4b. In addition, the first portion 10 of the first sound attenuation formation 8a is of greater length than the first portion 10 of the second sound attenuation formation 8b.

The sound attenuation stud 2 further includes a bridge portion 16 bridging the two sound attenuation formations 8a, 8b. Further, the sound attenuation stud 2 further includes a pair of interconnection portions 18a, 18b interconnecting respective engagement portions 4 and sound attenuation formations 8. The bridge portion 16 and interconnection portions 18a, 18b are co-linear. The sound attenuation stud 2 further includes a pair of lip portions 20a, 20b inwardly extending from respective engagement portions 4a, 4b.

Each portion 4, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 is generally straight, with each adjacent portion pair interconnecting in a curved manner. Each portion 4, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 is either parallel or orthogonal with all the other portions.

Figure 3 shows a box-like beam 22 including two of the studs 2 nested and engaged together. Like the constituent studs 2 themselves, the box-like beam 22 is also structurally stable and resists deformation. The engagement portions 4a, 4b are of different length to facilitate mating of the studs 2a, 2b together.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a sound attenuation stud 2’ as shown in Figure 4. Like refence numerals refer to like features previously described.

The stud 2’ includes two tapering engagement portions 4a’, 4b’ that taper toward each other when approaching the sound attenuation formations 8a, 8b.

The angle between each interconnection portion 18a, 18b and engagement portion 4a’, 4b’ is between 90 and 100 degrees, and preferably about 92 to 96 degrees.

The engagement portions 4a’, 4b’ extend obliquely to the plasterboard 6a, 6b (e.g. building element in the form of a wall) in use. A gap exists between each engagement portion 4a’, 4b’ and the plasterboard 6a, 6b in use. Each engagement portion 4a’, 4b’ is undulating to facilitate screw fastening in the resultant troughs.

In use, only the ends of the engagement portions 4a’, 4b’ engage with the plasterboard 6a, 6b which has been found to provide more desirable sound attenuation properties than the stud 2 of Figure 2 owing to lesser contact with the plasterboard 6a, 6b.

A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention.

Applicant has found that the stud 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2 has dimensions which provide desirable sound attenuation properties whilst maintaining a desired degree of structural stability in use. A first engagement portion 4 has a length of about 40mm, a second engagement portion 4b has a length of about 38mm, the first portion 10a of the first sound attenuation formation 8a has a length of about 10.90mm, the first portion 10b of the second sound attenuation formation 8b has a length of about 8.90mm, the second and third portions 12a, 14a of the first sound attenuation formation 8a each have lengths of about 15mm, the second and third portions 12b, 14b of the second sound attenuation formation 8b each have lengths of about 12mm, the bridge portion 16 has a length of about 44mm, interconnection portions 18a, 18b each have lengths of about 14.10mm and the lip portions 20a, 20b each have lengths of about 8.10mm (i.e. 14.10mm – 6.00mm). It will be appreciated that these portion lengths can be readily modified as required.

In one embodiment, the stud 2 may be formed from sheet metal. In another embodiment, the stud may be extruded from material other than metal (e.g. polymeric material).

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

Claims (20)

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A sound attenuation stud including two engagement portions for engaging within a building element and two sound attenuation formations located between the engagement portions, each sound attenuation formation including a first portion relative to which second and third portions extend, wherein the second and third portions are less than half the length of the engagement portions, and the two engagement portions taper.

2. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in claim 1 wherein the two engagement portions taper toward each other when approaching the sound attenuation formations.

3. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, further including a pair of interconnection portions interconnected between respective engagement portions and sound attenuation formations.

4. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in claim 3, wherein the angle between each interconnection portion and engagement portion is greater than 90 degrees, and preferably about 92 to 96 degrees.

5. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engagement portions extend obliquely to the building element in use.

6. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein there is a gap between each engagement portion and the building element in use.

7. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each engagement portion is undulating.

8. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in in any one of the preceding claims, and having a uniform thickness, the lengths of the first, second and third portions being small enough to resist substantial deformation in use to thereby provide a structurally stable sound attenuation stud.

9. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second and third portions extend orthogonally from the first portion.

10. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sound attenuation stud includes exactly two sound attenuation formations.

11. A sound attenuation stud including two engagement portions for engaging within a building element, and two sound attenuation formations, each sound attenuation formation including a first portion relative to which second and third portions extend, wherein the second and third portions are less than half the length of the engagement portions, and the two engagement portions taper.

12. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in claim 11 wherein the two engagement portions taper together toward the sound attenuation formations.

13. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, further including a pair of interconnection portions interconnected between respective engagement portions and sound attenuation formations.

14. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in claim 13, wherein the angle between each interconnection portion and engagement portion is between 90 and 100 degrees, and preferably about 92 to 96 degrees.

15. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the engagement portions extend obliquely to the building element in use.

16. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein there is a gap between each engagement portion and the building element in use.

17. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 16, wherein each engagement portion is undulating.

18. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in in any one of claims 11 to 17, and having a uniform thickness, the lengths of the first, second and third portions being small enough to resist substantial deformation in use to thereby provide a structurally stable sound attenuation stud.

19. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in in any one of claims 11 to 18, wherein the second and third portions extend orthogonally from the first portion.

20. A sound attenuation stud as claimed in in any one of claims 11 to 19, wherein the sound attenuation stud includes exactly two sound attenuation formations.