US20190127972A1

US20190127972A1 - Acoustic tile frame and method of production

Info

Publication number: US20190127972A1
Application number: US16/177,807
Authority: US
Inventors: Kraig Mackett
Original assignee: Cdc Fab Inc
Current assignee: Cdc Fab Inc
Priority date: 2017-11-01
Filing date: 2018-11-01
Publication date: 2019-05-02

Abstract

An acoustic tile, methods of forming and installing the same, and a frame for such are provided. The acoustic tile includes a substantially planar board, where the board can include fiberglass. A frame, which can include a plurality of frame segments, is disposed about a portion of a periphery of the substantially planar board. The frame is coupled to the board where an edge of the board is disposed within a channel of the frame. The frame imparts a majority of the dimensional stability of the acoustic tile, where the frame can include one of extruded metal, extruded plastic, and pultruded fiberglass. The acoustic tile includes a mounting point on the frame configured for coupling the frame to the building surface. A wrapping can be included that substantially covers a face of the board. The acoustic tile can function to absorb, block, or diffuse sound energy.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/580,223, filed on Nov. 1, 2017. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The invention relates to acoustic tiles and, more particularly, methods of making acoustic tiles and frames for the same.

INTRODUCTION

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
A key element to building design is architectural acoustics; for example, as described at [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural acoustics], the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Architectural acoustics has become particularly important as building design has transitioned to increasingly hard, and often acoustically reflective, surfaces and as the overall occupant experience has become a key to building design, including other concerns like natural daylight and ambient noise levels. Acoustic tiles or panels are a cost effective way to control and reduce the sound and ambient noise in a building in order to make it more acoustically comfortable to occupants. The main composition of an acoustic tile can include some type of acoustic absorbing material that is used to reduce the acoustic reflections in a space. One common commercially viable material is a low density fiberglass board material that has proven to be the industry standard for this type of application. In order to make the fiberglass board more attractive and prevent incidental contact with the glass fiber that can cause itching and irritation, the fiberglass board can be covered in a variety of fabrics and materials that are typically acoustically transparent in forming the acoustic tile.
The evolution of the industry has revolved around making wrapped fiberglass acoustic panels or tiles more aesthetically appealing and functionally durable, as the tile can be inherently fragile, particularly at the edges or from impact. In doing so, the industry has worked on solutions to take tiles formed of relatively fragile fiberglass board(s) and make modifications and improvements to create the desired end product. Changes and modifications to acoustic tiles include shaped edge details, edge hardening (to provide a hard and crisp edge) using epoxy resin and other materials, epoxy resin impregnated “spots” to provide structural anchoring and attachment points, layered additional materials (e.g., paintable fiberglass scrim, rigid fiberglass mold board, perforated plastic sheeting, etc.) in order to modify the thickness as well as the durability of the face and edges. The focus of the industry has been to take the substrate material and make modifications to create the end result. The current acoustic tile industry has remained largely unchanged for 20+ years, yet new applications and performance aspects are growing in need and demand.
Certain acoustic tiles can be manufactured as follows. First, a fiberglass board can be cut to desired dimensions, including one or more close tolerance dimensions. Second, the edges of the board can be shaped to the desired end design; however, this is typically not done for square edge tiles. Third, one or more mounting locations can be marked that may require resin reinforcement(s). Fourth, an edge hardener, such as a resin (e.g., epoxy resin), can be applied (e.g., sprayed, rolled on, etc.) on the edges of the tiles to create a hard and more durable edge. Fifth, hardener or resin can be added or poured onto one or more spots on the tile for mounting locations or structural attachment points. Sixth, the tile can be subjected or passed through to a curing oven to cure the resin, which however, is not possible with tiles that are laminated with perforated plastic. Seventh, the tiles can be stacked to complete the curing step. Eighth, the tiles can be sent through an adhesive line to apply or spray an adhesive to a face of the tile. Ninth, a material facing can be applied to the face of the tile having the adhesive. Tenth, the tile can be turned over and stacked to allow the face with the adhesive and material facing to set. Eleventh, an edge adhesive can be applied or sprayed to the edges of the tile and the material facing or fabric can be wrapped over the edges to the other face or backside of the tile. Twelfth, the material facing or fabric can be molded and/or trimmed, for example at the edges, backside, and/or corners of the tile, to create a seamless appearance. Thirteenth, mounting hardware can be installed on the tile. And fourteenth, the acoustic tiles can be stacked face-to-face and/or back-to-back, optionally with one or more protective layers therebetween for protection during storage and/or shipment.
It would be advantageous to improve the structure, manufacture, and use of acoustic tiles to meet new building and architectural applications and further provide improved performance aspects in the selective absorption, blockage, covering, and diffusing of sound waves within a building space.

SUMMARY

The present technology includes articles of manufacture, systems, and processes that relate to acoustic tiles and manufacture thereof
Acoustic tiles for attachment to a building surface include a board, a frame, and a mounting point on the frame for coupling the frame to the building surface. The board can comprise various shapes, thicknesses, and profiles, and can take the form of a substantially planar board. The board can be formed of various materials including glass fibers or fiberglass. The frame can include one or more frame segments disposed about at least a portion of a periphery of the substantially planar board. The frame or each frame segment thereof can be coupled to the board where an edge of the board is disposed within a channel of the frame or each frame segment. The frame imparts a majority of the dimensional stability of the acoustic tile. In this way, for example, the acoustic tile can be stored, handled, and subjected to various forces that could compromise an integrity of the board were the board not coupled to the frame. Extruded metal, extruded plastic, and/or pultruded fiberglass can be used in forming the frame. The mounting point, or multiple mounting points, are provided on the frame and are configured for coupling the frame to the building surface. Mounting points can include various coupling means for attachment of the acoustic tile to substantially vertical surfaces, such as walls, and various coupling means for attachment of the acoustic tile to substantially horizontal surfaces, such as a ceiling. A wrapping can be included that substantially covers a face of the board, where the wrapping can also be fitted to cover an entire face of the acoustic panel, including the face of the board and the frame thereabout. Acoustic tiles employing these features can accordingly be used to absorb, block, or diffuse sound energy within a space of a building.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an acoustic panel according to the present technology showing how a frame formed of frame segments is assembled about a substantially planar board in forming the acoustic panel.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the acoustic panel of FIG. 1, where each of the frame segments are coupled to the board where an edge of the board is disposed within a channel of each of the frame segments.

FIG. 3 is a back plan view of the acoustic panel of FIG. 2, where two mounting points are included on the frame, the mounting points configured for use with a wire for coupling the frame to a building surface.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a miter joint between two frame segments holding a board, where the miter joint is secured with a corner key.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a peripheral portion of a board coupled to a frame.

FIGS. 6A-D show cross-sectional views of various frame configurations.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a peripheral portion of a board coupled to a frame, where a wrapping is applied to substantially cover a face of the acoustic tile, including a face of the board and the frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of technology is merely exemplary in nature of the subject matter, manufacture and use of one or more inventions, and is not intended to limit the scope, application, or uses of any specific invention claimed in this application or in such other applications as may be filed claiming priority to this application, or patents issuing therefrom. Regarding methods disclosed, the order of the steps presented is exemplary in nature, and thus, the order of the steps can be different in various embodiments. “A” and “an” as used herein indicate “at least one” of the item is present; a plurality of such items may be present, when possible. Except where otherwise expressly indicated, all numerical quantities in this description are to be understood as modified by the word “about” and all geometric and spatial descriptors are to be understood as modified by the word “substantially” in describing the broadest scope of the technology. “About” when applied to numerical values indicates that the calculation or the measurement allows some slight imprecision in the value (with some approach to exactness in the value; approximately or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If, for some reason, the imprecision provided by “about” and/or “substantially” is not otherwise understood in the art with this ordinary meaning, then “about” and/or “substantially” as used herein indicates at least variations that may arise from ordinary methods of measuring or using such parameters.
All documents, including patents, patent applications, and scientific literature cited in this detailed description are incorporated herein by reference, unless otherwise expressly indicated. Where any conflict or ambiguity may exist between a document incorporated by reference and this detailed description, the present detailed description controls.
Although the open-ended term “comprising,” as a synonym of non-restrictive terms such as including, containing, or having, is used herein to describe and claim embodiments of the present technology, embodiments may alternatively be described using more limiting terms such as “consisting of” or “consisting essentially of” Thus, for any given embodiment reciting materials, components, or process steps, the present technology also specifically includes embodiments consisting of, or consisting essentially of, such materials, components, or process steps excluding additional materials, components or processes (for consisting of) and excluding additional materials, components or processes affecting the significant properties of the embodiment (for consisting essentially of), even though such additional materials, components or processes are not explicitly recited in this application. For example, recitation of a composition or process reciting elements A, B and C specifically envisions embodiments consisting of, and consisting essentially of, A, B and C, excluding an element D that may be recited in the art, even though element D is not explicitly described as being excluded herein.
As referred to herein, disclosures of ranges are, unless specified otherwise, inclusive of endpoints and include all distinct values and further divided ranges within the entire range. Thus, for example, a range of “from A to B” or “from about A to about B” is inclusive of A and of B. Disclosure of values and ranges of values for specific parameters (such as amounts, weight percentages, etc.) are not exclusive of other values and ranges of values useful herein. It is envisioned that two or more specific exemplified values for a given parameter may define endpoints for a range of values that may be claimed for the parameter. For example, if Parameter X is exemplified herein to have value A and also exemplified to have value Z, it is envisioned that Parameter X may have a range of values from about A to about Z. Similarly, it is envisioned that disclosure of two or more ranges of values for a parameter (whether such ranges are nested, overlapping or distinct) subsume all possible combination of ranges for the value that might be claimed using endpoints of the disclosed ranges. For example, if Parameter X is exemplified herein to have values in the range of 1-10, or 2-9, or 3-8, it is also envisioned that Parameter X may have other ranges of values including 1-9, 1-8, 1-3, 1-2, 2-10, 2-8, 2-3, 3-10, 3-9, and so on.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The present technology provides improved acoustic tiles for a building surface that optimize mounting options by using one or more mounting points on a frame of the acoustic tile and where the frame serves to minimize any bending or warping of the substantially planar board due to a change in temperature, a change in humidity, gravity, air movement, or physical impact thereto. In particular, an acoustic tile for a building surface includes a board, a frame, and a mounting point. The board can be a substantially planar board. The frame can be disposed about a portion of a periphery of the board, where the frame is coupled to the board. In this way, the frame imparts a majority of the dimensional stability of the acoustic tile. The mounting point on the frame can be configured for coupling the frame to the building surface and can include more than one mounting point. Examples of building surfaces include any surface of a building space, such as walls or the ceiling. Positioning of one or more acoustic tiles on a building surface can therefore serve to absorb, block, or diffuse sound energy.
In certain embodiments, the present technology provides frames for acoustic tiles and acoustic tiles including such frames that provide structural and manufacturing improvements. Instead of starting with a board (e.g., fiberglass board) and modifying the board to make an acoustic tile, the present technology starts with a frame for an acoustic tile and incorporates the desired features into the frame and positions the frame about a board. This is a fundamental shift from other ways used to make acoustic tiles. For example, rather than spending the time and resources to take a board or panel core and make modifications in order to create edge detail and increase the functional hardness and durability of a relatively fragile board product, the present technology employs a frame of a superior structural and rigid material (e.g., metal, rigid plastic, fiberglass pultrusion, etc.) in order to provide an edge detail as well as needed durability, while at the same time allowing for fabrication of an acoustic tile having an improved appearance and that achieves a more dimensionally accurate end result. The frame imparts a majority of the dimensional stability of the acoustic tile and thereby minimizes any bending or warping of the substantially planar board due to changes in temperature and/or humidity and minimizes any forces exerted by gravity, air movement, or physical impact to the acoustic tile. By imparting a majority of dimensional stability, it is meant that the frame provides over 50% of the resistance to bending or warping of the acoustic tile. It is possible to configure the frame to provide from greater than 50% of the resistance to bending or warping of the acoustic tile up to about 99% of the resistance to bending or warping of the acoustic tile. For example, the frame can be formed of a rigid metal (e.g., extruded aluminum) and the board can include a pliable material (e.g., glass fibers) with very little or essential no resistance to bending under gravity. In addition, the frame can provide the structure needed to affix the acoustic tile to a portion of a building (e.g., wall, ceiling, etc.) or suspend the tile from a mounting point without the need for a resin-reinforced mounting location or attachment point associated with the board or panel core material. The frame can further impart improved strength and stability to the overall tile.
The frame for the acoustic tile can be configured in various ways. The frame can wrap over one or more of the back, side, and part of the front of the board used in the tile, or the frame can end just below the face of the board used in the tile. Wrapping the frame over the face of the board can provide an exposed frame on the acoustic tile and allow for additional architectural detail. A flush edge of the frame on the board can allow for fabric to be wrapped over the rigid edge frame to create the appearance of a single part tile, as per acoustic tiles manufactured using other methods. For example, the present frame can be used to manufacture an acoustic tile that eliminates the second through tenth steps described in the introduction section of this document for forming fabric wrapped edges of an acoustic tile and can also eliminate the second through twelfth steps for manufacturing acoustic tiles with exposed frames.
In addition, the frame of the present technology can be formed of a rigid material that can minimize or eliminate a significant issue with acoustic tiles, which is edge damage that may occur in shipping, handling on the job site, installation, and incidental contact when installed. It would also allow for the crating and shipping process to be done in a vertical standing method which aids in the handling, protection, and installation of acoustic tile, including original installation, modification, and reconfiguration of acoustic tiles. The frame can provide the majority of the structural stability of the acoustic tile and in certain instances may provide substantially all of the structural stability of the acoustic tile. In this way, the material selection for the board coupled to the frame can be optimized for acoustic qualities with minimal or no consideration necessary for structural rigidity or integrity, as such is provided by the frame.
In certain embodiments, the present technology provides ways to form and mount frames for acoustic tiles and acoustic tiles including such frames that provide structural and manufacturing improvements. The acoustic tile can be mounted from one or more points on a wall or hung from a ceiling, also known as a baffle. The mounting or coupling points can be spaced about the frame depending on the overall shape and size of the frame and can be arranged with respect to a weight distribution of the acoustic tile to provide substantially uniform bearing or coupling performance characteristics.
Due to the nature of the construction industry and the timing of the acoustic tile installation, there is a need for improved and faster installation and mounting methods. Acoustic tiles can make up a minor part of the overall scope of work in constructing a building space when installed by an interior contractor in view of drywall, ceilings, paint, flooring, etc. and can be installed as one of the last items before occupancy. Because installation of acoustic tiles is typically delayed or performed at a later point in the construction process, there is often a rush to obtain and install the final finishes, acoustic tiles included. Issues arise when using acoustic tiles formed of a board having resin impregnated portions for forming and/or reinforcing mounting points. Due to the often inherently soft nature of the board material or panel core, even a relatively small acoustic tile may require two or more mounting points to support it due to the structural value of the resin impregnation as well as the potential of tile flex and warp. These mounting solutions vary from use of a “Z” bar to impaling clips or even various anchors; e.g., “Rotofast” anchors. The Rotofast often provides an effective solution, but still requires multiple mounting points as well as a substantial amount of factory and field labor from reasonably skilled and competent individuals. It can be seen that using two or more mounting points for attachment of the acoustic tile can be exponentially more difficult and complicated than a single point; e.g., hanging a picture on a wall versus mounting a flat screen television.
The present technology can provide improved mounting for acoustic tiles in comparison with acoustic tiles using such resin impregnated portions for forming and/or reinforcing mounting points. In certain embodiments, a single anchor point on a surface is used to mount the acoustic tile, where attachment thereto is provided using a cable or wire or monofilament line much like used to hang a picture. The cable can attach to the frame of the acoustic tile in one or more locations and can allow for vertical movement of the mounting points. As the frame, and overall acoustic tile, can be substantially flat against a wall, ceiling, or other surface, and the frame can be of a consistent dimension, the anchor mounting on the surface to which the acoustic tile is to be hung can allow for plumb adjustment and alignment. In addition, a pushbutton cable length adjustment system can be included to allow for the vertical adjustment of the acoustic tile. For example, a pushbutton clasp can be pushed to permit a cable to move therethrough, allowing the cable to be drawn tighter or toward the surface anchor as it is pulled therethrough or let out to loosen or increase the amount of cable toward the anchor, where the pushbutton is then released to hold the cable in the adjusted position, much in the way a pushbutton drawstring operates. This can permit installation of a single drywall anchor in roughly the center of each acoustic tile location and allow the acoustic tiles to be hung therefrom, where the acoustic tile(s) can be adjusted with a nudge and/or the push of the button and adjusting the cable length in the case of the pushbutton cable length adjustment system.
The frame of the acoustic tile can be made of various materials and formed in various ways. Examples include various metals and alloys, including aluminum and alloys thereof. Various rigid plastics can be used, including various reinforced plastics. Such metals and plastics can be extruded into a frame, including one or more frame segments, to provide various frame cross-sectional profiles. Fiberglass can also be used for the frame, including where the frame includes or one or more frame segments, where the fiberglass frame can be formed by pultrusion. Various examples include where the frame includes extruded metal, extruded plastic, and/or pultruded fiberglass. Where the frame of an acoustic tile includes multiple segments, the segments can be coupled together using various fasteners or integrated fittings or couplings. One example includes the use of one or more corner keys to couple segment ends together, such as where the ends form a mitre joint or are beveled in various ways. Corner keys can be positioned in dedicated channels in the frame. The frame, including where the frame is formed of multiple frame segments, can be disposed about an entirety of the periphery of the board. However, it is possible to have a gap in the frame or have a portion or edge of the periphery of the board that does not have an associated portion of the frame or a frame segment.
The board of the acoustic tile can be made of various materials and formed in various ways. The board is held and retained by the frame of the acoustic tile and can be a single piece of material or multiple pieces of the same of different materials. In certain embodiments, the frame circumscribes the board and can completely define and abut a periphery of the board. The board can be formed of fiberglass and can take the form of a low density fiberglass board. Glass wool and glass wool composites can also be used and included. Various plastics and composites can be used as the board; e.g., polyester, polypropylene, vinyl, etc. It is also possible to use various elastomers, such as rubber, and various foamed materials, including porous expanded polypropylene, foamed polystyrene, and such. Natural products such as various types of fibers or wood, including hardwood, plywood, cotton, linen, etc., can be used. Additional embodiments include where the board is mineral fiber board, gypsum board or panels, particle board, or perforated metal. One or more surfaces of the board can include various textures, including sound reflecting and sound absorbing textures, including various corrugated surfaces, honeycomb structures, etc. The board can also be formed from various composites, including various laminates of materials, and can include or be formed of various fire retardant materials.
Embodiments of the acoustic tile include where the frame and/or board of the acoustic tile is/are partially or completely wrapped or covered with various materials. Material facings or fabrics for wrapping the frame and/or board can include various plastics, textiles, felts, carpeting, and laminates. The wrapping or material facing can have various textures, including sound reflecting and sound absorbing textures. Such wrappings or material facings can be painted or have other coatings applied thereto, allowing a variety of colors, patterns, designs, graphics, pictures, images, etc. to be displayed on the acoustic tile.
The acoustic tile can be configured in various sizes and shapes. An overall shape of the acoustic tile can be determined by the shape of the board employed in a particular tile, where the frame can generally follow the periphery or perimeter of the board. As such, acoustic tiles can be configured in generally planar shapes and multiple tiles can be assembled in various arrays, geometric patterns, including various tessellations, using acoustic tiles of a single shape and size and/or using acoustic tiles of multiple shapes and/or sizes in covering a building surface, such as a wall or ceiling. Acoustic tiles can be circular, elliptical, ovoid, or have a series of curves including one or more bends and turns about a periphery thereof. Various polygons including polygons having three or more sides, such as various triangles, quadrilaterals including rectangles and squares, etc. can be used.
Designing the frame of the acoustic tile to operate as the structural portion allows for improved attachment and mounting options in coupling the frame to a space within a building, for example, versus the use of an edge hardener or resin impregnation of the board material (e.g., soft fiberglass core) used in other manufacturing methods, such as those described in the introduction section of this document. As a result, several benefits and advantages are attributable to the present technology. The rigid frame allows for significantly more edge detail designs that are not possible with board treated with edge hardener or resin. Edge hardener or resin reinforced board material can have thickness inconsistencies that cause additional installation labor in shimming for acoustic tiles that are not identical in dimension but are in close proximity. However, the separate frame used in the present acoustic tiles allows the frame to be thicker than the board or panel core and allows for the appearance of a thicker tile (e.g., 4 inch) using a thinner board (e.g., 2 inch). The frame further allows for mounting hardware to be concealed within the frame dimension and can eliminate the tapered gap that can exist with resin reinforced boards used as acoustic tiles. The present frames can also be cut and finished at close tolerances to aids in installation and appearance when the resulting acoustic tiles are installed within close proximity of each other. The frame in the present technology can be thicker than the board or panel core, which allows for reflective absorption of sound on the backside of the acoustic tile and can improves performance thereof. The same frame dimension and configuration can also be used with several different board materials to provide consistent appearances while allowing board material changes to tailor sound absorption and/or reflection to specifically tailor the acoustics of a building space. With exposed framing, the face material can be applied to the board material early in the fabrication process and substantially reduce fabrication time. In some instances, flexibility of the board material can result in bowing and flexing if a face material shrinks or is glued too tight. The frame accordingly can add to dimensional stability in such circumstances to resist such bowing/flexing. The separate frame also provides the opportunity to incorporate various frame finishes and designs to add another level of design options with respect to performance and/or aesthetics.

EXAMPLES

Example embodiments of the present technology are provided with reference to FIGS. 1 through 7 enclosed herewith.
With reference to FIGS. 1 through 3, an embodiment of an acoustic tile 100 for a building surface and various features thereof are shown, where FIGS. 1 and 2 are top plan views and FIG. 3 is a back plan view showing the acoustic tile 100 rotated 180 degrees. The acoustic tile 100 includes a substantially planar board 110, a frame 120 as frame segments 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d, and two mounting points 130 a, 130 b on certain frame segments 120 a, 120 c. The frame segments 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, and 120 d are disposed about a portion of a periphery 140 of the substantially planar board 110, where the frame segments 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d are coupled to the board 110. The frame 120 as frame segments 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d thereby imparts a majority of the dimensional stability of the acoustic tile 100. In the embodiment shown, two mounting points 150 a, 150 b are located on certain frame segments 120 a, 120 c that can be used for coupling the certain frame segments 120 a, 120 c and hence the entire frame 120 and acoustic tile 100 to the building surface. A hanging wire 160 can be slidably disposed through one mounting point 150 a and affixed at the other mounting point 150 b. A pushbutton clasp 170 can be included to allow adjustment of the amount of wire 160 spanning mounting points 150 a, 150 b and thereby adjust how the acoustic tile hangs on the building surface. Certain embodiments can include a single mounting point (e.g., as either 150 a or 150 b) or additional mounting points depending on how the acoustic tile 100 is to be coupled to the building surface. Hanging one or more acoustic tiles 100 on a building surface can accordingly absorb, block, or diffuse sound energy within a space of the building.
As shown in the embodiment represented in the figures, the board 110 is substantially planar and in a generally rectangular and generally flat configuration. However, the board 110 can take the form of a curved plane and can have various peripheral shapes, including various curved edges, numbers of edges, including various polygonal shapes. By substantially planar, it is meant that the board 110 has a predominantly two-dimensional character defined by a length and a width and a third dimension is defined by a thickness of the board 110, the thickness being less than each of the length and the width. For example, the thickness of the board 110 can be ten times or more less than the length and/or the width of the board 110. The plane of the board 110 may have a slight curve or bow along a length or width thereof and can also be slightly cupped or domed across the length and width thereof.
FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a miter joint 180 from FIG. 2 located between two frame segments 120 a, 120 d holding the board 110, where the miter joint 180 is secured with a corner key 190. The corner key 190 can be secured against the respective frame segments 120 a, 120 d using a threaded fastener 200 after fitting the corner key 190 into slots 210 at each end of the respective frame segments 120 a, 120 d at the miter joint 180. As shown, four miter joints 180 and four corner keys 190 are used to connect the ends of each frame segment 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d about the board 110. However, the ends of the frame segments 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d can be coupled to each other using various coupling means, including various mechanical fasteners (e.g., clamps, screws, bolts, rivets etc.), welds, adhesives, compression fittings, snap fittings, etc. that operate with miter joints 180 or that are configured with joints other than miter joints 180.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the periphery 140 of the board 110 coupled to the frame 120, comprised of one of the frame segments 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d. In the embodiment of the acoustic tile 100 shown, the frame includes four frame segments 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d disposed about the periphery 140 of the substantially planar board 110, each of the frame segments 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d coupled to the board 110, as shown in FIG. 5. However, it should be appreciated that each frame segment 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d can be coupled to the board 110 in different ways. As shown, the frame 120 is coupled to the board 110 by disposing an edge 220 at the periphery 140 of the board 110 within a channel 230 of the frame 120. The channel 230 is formed by two walls 240 of the frame 120. The channel 230 can be dimensioned substantially the same as a thickness of the board 110, or as shown in FIG. 5, the channel 230 can be dimensioned slightly larger than a thickness of the board 110. In this way, the walls 240 of the channel 230 can accommodated boards 110 of various thicknesses. Also shown in FIG. 5 is a mechanical interface 250 serving to couple the frame 120 and the board 110. As depicted, the mechanical interface 250 can be configured as a protrusion from the frame 120 that can be pushed into the board 110. In this way, the mechanical interface 250 can operate like a nail or wedge to hold the board 110 in place relative to the frame 120. Other types of mechanical coupling means can be used as the mechanical interface 250 between the frame 120 and the board 110. The mechanical interface 250 can also be configured to provide tension between the frame 120 and the board 110, where the board 110 can even be stretched to a degree by the frame 120 or between various frame segments 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d. It is also possible to provide an interference fit between the frame 120 and the board 110 when a distance between the walls 240 of the channel 230 is slightly less than the thickness of the edge 220 of the board 110.
FIGS. 6A-D show cross-sectional views of various frames 120 having various features that can be used in the acoustic tile 100. Common to the frames 120 is a slot 210 for receiving a coupling device such as the corner key 190 for connecting frame segments 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d together. It should be understood that the frame 120 can incorporate other coupling means besides the slot 210 for coupling frame segments 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d together. Also common to the frames 120 is a channel 230 for disposing an edge 220 at the periphery 140 of the board 110 therewithin, where the channel 230 is bounded by two walls 240. As shown for FIGS. 6B and 6D, the frame 120 can have a second wall 260 that in conjunction with the wall from the channel 230 forms a double wall with a space therebetween. This double wall construction can serve to reinforce the frame 120, improving rigidity, where the space therebetween can also be used to accommodate components or hardware serving as mounting points 150 a, 150 b and/or component or hardware serving as the mechanical interface 150 to couple the frame 120 and the board 110. As shown for FIGS. 6C and 6D, a spline channel 270 can be included at different points of the frame 120, such as near the end having the slot 210 (e.g., FIG. 6C) or the opposite end (e.g., FIG. 6D). The spline channel 270 can work in cooperation with a spline for coupling a wrapping to the frame 120 (see FIG. 7). As shown for FIGS. 6B and 6D, the frame 120 can also include an extension 280 to offset the acoustic tile 100 from the surface to which the acoustic tile 100 is mounted. The length of the extension 280 can determine the spacing between the board 110 and the surface. For example, a distal end of the extension 280 of the frame 120 can abut a wall to which the acoustic tile 100 is mounted, providing a dead space between the acoustic panel 100 and the wall. This space provided by the extension 280 can improve the performance of the acoustic panel 100 in certain circumstances. With reference to FIG. 6C, it is noted that the spline channel 270 can operate as an extension 280 or can be used in conjunction with an extension 280.
FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a peripheral portion 220 of a board 110 coupled to a frame 120, similar to FIG. 5, but where the frame 120 includes a spline channel 270 to couple a wrapping 290 to the frame 120. The wrapping 290 is accordingly applied to substantially cover a face of the acoustic tile 100, including a face of the board 110 and the frame 120. As shown, the wrapping 290 can be used with a spline 300, where the spline 300 can be formed of a resilient material that is wedged into the spline channel 270. The embodiment depicted shows the spine 300 as part of the edge of the wrapping 290, but the spline 300 can be separate from the wrapping 290, where the wrapping 290 is overlaid on the frame 120 and the spline channel 270 and the spline 300 is used to push the wrapping into the spline channel 270 and wedge the wrapping 290 therein, much in the same way a screen is mounted in a screen window frame or screen door. Excess wrapping 290 sticking out of the spine channel 270 can be trimmed after installation. Installation of the wrapping 290 in this manner allows the wrapping 290 to be under tension and stretched tightly across the frame 120 of the acoustic tile 100. With reference to FIG. 6C, it can be seen that installation of wrapping 290 using a spline 300 into the spline channel 270 near the slot 210 allows the wrapping 290 to completely cover an entire face of the acoustic tile 100, including the entire face of the board 110 and the frame 120. It is also noted that the spline channel 270 can be used to coupled two adjacent acoustic tiles 100 together, for example, by using a trim piece that engages the spline channel 270 on each acoustic tile 100.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms, and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail. Equivalent changes, modifications and variations of some embodiments, materials, compositions and methods can be made within the scope of the present technology, with substantially similar results.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An acoustic tile for a building surface comprising:

a substantially planar board;

a frame disposed about a portion of a periphery of the substantially planar board, the frame coupled to the board, the frame imparting a majority of the dimensional stability of the acoustic tile; and

a mounting point on the frame, the mounting point configured for coupling the frame to the building surface;

wherein the acoustic tile is configured to absorb, block, or diffuse sound energy.

2. The acoustic tile of claim 1, wherein the substantially planar board comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: fiberglass, polyester, polypropylene, vinyl, elastomer, rubber, hardwood, plywood, particle board, textile, cotton, linen, mineral fiber board, gypsum, perforated metal, and combinations thereof.

3. The acoustic tile of claim 1, wherein the substantially planar board comprises fiberglass.

4. The acoustic tile of claim 1, wherein the substantially planar board comprises a substantially planar polygonal board.

5. The acoustic tile of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises extruded metal, extruded plastic, or pultruded fiberglass.

6. The acoustic tile of claim 1, wherein the frame is disposed about an entirety of the periphery of the substantially planar board.

7. The acoustic tile of claim 1, wherein the frame being coupled to the board includes disposing an edge of the board within a channel of the frame.

8. The acoustic tile of claim 1, wherein the frame being coupled to the board includes a mechanical interface connecting the frame and the board.

9. The acoustic tile of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a plurality of frame segments disposed about a portion of a periphery of the substantially planar board, each of the frame segments coupled to the board.

10. The acoustic tile of claim 9, wherein two of the frame segments are coupled by a miter joint.

11. The acoustic tile of claim 10, wherein the miter joint includes a corner key disposed within a slot of each of the two frame segments.

12. The acoustic tile of claim 1, wherein the frame imparting a majority of the dimensional stability of the acoustic tile minimizes any bending or warping of the substantially planar board due to: a change in temperature, a change in humidity, gravity, air movement, or physical impact.

13. The acoustic tile of claim 1, the mounting point includes a plurality of mounting points on the frame.

14. The acoustic tile of claim 1, further comprising a wrapping substantially covering a face of the board.

15. The acoustic tile of claim 14, wherein the wrapping is coupled to the frame by disposing the wrapping within a spline channel formed in the frame.

16. The acoustic tile of claim 14, wherein the wrapping substantially covers a face of the acoustic tile, including the face of the board and the frame.

17. The acoustic tile of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a coupling means configured to couple the acoustic tile to another acoustic tile.

18. The acoustic tile of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a double wall along an edge facing the periphery of the substantially planar board.

19. A plurality of acoustic tiles for a building surface, each of the acoustic tiles being an acoustic tile according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of acoustic tiles is configured to form a substantially continuous array on the building surface.

20. An acoustic tile for a building surface comprising:

a substantially planar board, the substantially planar board including fiberglass;

a frame including a plurality of frame segments disposed about a portion of a periphery of the substantially planar board, each of the frame segments coupled to the board where an edge of the board is disposed within a channel of each of the frame segments, the frame imparting a majority of the dimensional stability of the acoustic tile, the frame including one of extruded metal, extruded plastic, and pultruded fiberglass;

a mounting point on the frame, the mounting point configured for coupling the frame to the building surface; and

a wrapping substantially covering a face of the board;