Impact damping mat, equipment accessory and flooring system

• US 10,676,920 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2019
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PLITEQ Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PLITEQ Incorporated
• Inventors: Downey, Paul, Gartenburg, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Demuren, Babajide A
• Application Number:
  US16/516,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20190338512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 267140, 267141, 267153, 248611, 248634, 248632, 248633, 248637, 248638, 248639, 248676, 248678, 24834805, 24834605, 248560, 521671, 521677, 521678, 521261, 521265, 521267, 521266, 472 92
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/102 Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/56 Damping, energy absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/718 Weight, e.g. weight per square meter
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/72 Density
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2471/00 Floor coverings B32B2419/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 25/042 of natural rubber or synthetic rubber
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 25/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 25/14 comprising synthetic rubber copolymers B32B25/18 and B32B25/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/285 comprising polyethers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/365 comprising polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/40 comprising polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/06 for securing layers together; for attaching the product to another member, e.g. to a support , or to another product, e.g. groove/tongue, interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/085 spaced apart pieces on the surface of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/30 characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/86 slab-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/98 against vibrations or shocks on foundations E02D31/08; against mechanical destruction, e.g. by air-raids against incendiary damage only E04B1/94; finishing work therefor E04F; buildings withstanding earthquake or the like, shelters, arrangements of splintercatching walls E04H9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/8466 with an intermediate layer formed of lines or dots of elastic material
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/8476 with acoustical cavities, with or without acoustical filling
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/20 of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/322 with parallel corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/52 : with special adaptations for auxiliary purposes, e.g. serving for locating conduits E04C2/54 takes precedence; block-shaped elements therefor E04C1/39; floor structures incorporating ducts E04B5/48
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/105 : of organic plastics with or without reinforcements or filling materials
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/107 : composed of several layers, e.g. sandwich panels layered products in general B32B; producing decorative panels or veneers B44C5/04
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/206 : Layered panels for sound insulation
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/22 : Resiliently-mounted floors, e.g. sprung floors laid as webs E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/225 : Shock absorber members therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0138 : by moving the sheets, plates or panels perpendicular to the main plane
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/022 : with tongue or grooves alternating longitudinally along the edge
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2290/043 : with a bottom layer for sound insulation
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2290/044 : against impact
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/0215 : involving active or passive dynamic mass damping systems
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/306 : of the constrained layer type, i.e. comprising one or more constrained viscoelastic layers
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/168 : Plural layers of different materials, e.g. sandwiches

Abstract

An impact damping mat comprises a plurality of layers arranged in a stacked formation. The stacked formation has a total thickness of no greater than 4 7/16 inches. The plurality of layers cooperate to provide the impact damping mat with at least one of a coefficient of restitution no greater than 30% and a selected sound reduction characteristic. The selected sound reduction characteristic can be a reduction of a maximum sound level of at least 5 dB from 40 to 63 Hz ⅓ octave bands and at least 13 dB at and above 80 Hz ⅓ octave bands normalized to a conventional ⅜ inch rollout rubber flooring product.

Claims

1. An impact damping mat comprising:

a plurality of layers arranged in a stacked formation, the stacked formation having a total thickness no greater than 4 7/16 inches and the plurality of layers cooperating to provide the impact damping mat with at least one of;

a coefficient of restitution no greater than 30%; and

a selected sound reduction characteristic, the selected sound reduction characteristic being a reduction of a maximum sound level of at least 5 dB from 40 to 63 Hz ⅓

octave bands and at least 13 dB at and above 80 Hz ⅓

octave bands normalized to ⅜

inch rollout rubber flooring.

2. The impact damping mat of claim 1, wherein the plurality of layers comprises a base layer, an intermediate layer and an upper layer.

3. The impact damping mat of claim 2, wherein the intermediate layer is a damping layer that is formed of a polyether urethane material, wherein the damping layer has a thickness of ¼

of an inch to 1½

inches, inclusive, and wherein the damping layer generally has a weight of less than 2.5 lbs per 1 ft².

4. The impact damping mat of claim 2, wherein the upper layer is formed of rubber and has a thickness of 1 inch to 1½

inches, inclusive, and wherein the upper layer generally has a weight of less than 30 lbs per 4 ft².

5. The impact damping mat of claim 2, wherein the base layer is formed of rubber and has a thickness no greater than 1 inch and wherein the base layer generally has a weight of less than 300 lbs per 120 ft².

6. The impact damping mat of claim 2, wherein the plurality of layers further comprises a load distribution layer interposed between the intermediate layer and the upper layer.

7. The impact damping mat of claim 6, wherein the load distribution layer is formed of rubber and has a thickness of 3/16 of an inch to 7/16 of an inch, inclusive, and wherein the load distribution layer generally has a density of less than 70 lbs/ft³.

8. The impact damping mat of claim 1, wherein the plurality of layers cooperate to provide the impact damping mat with both the coefficient of restitution no greater than 30% and the selected sound reduction characteristic.

9. The impact damping mat of claim 2, wherein the upper layer comprises at least one interlocking feature thereon to engage adjacent structure.

10. The impact damping mat of claim 9, wherein the at least one interlocking feature comprises an elongate projection running along a majority of the length of a respective upper layer side wall.

12. The flooring system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of layers comprise a base layer, an intermediate layer and an upper layer.

13. The flooring system of claim 12, wherein the intermediate layer is a damping layer that is formed of a polyether urethane material, wherein the damping layer has a thickness of ¼

of an inch to 1½

inches, inclusive, and wherein the damping layer generally has a weight of less than 2.5 lbs per 1 ft².

14. The flooring system of claim 12, wherein the upper layer is formed of rubber and has a thickness of 1 inch to 1½

inches, inclusive, and wherein the upper layer generally has a weight of less than 30 lbs per 4 ft².

15. The flooring system of claim 12, wherein the base layer is formed of rubber and has a thickness no greater than 1 inch and wherein the base layer generally has a weight of less than 300 lbs per 120 ft².

16. The flooring system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of layers further comprises a load distribution layer interposed between the intermediate layer and the upper layer.

17. The flooring system of claim 16, wherein the load distribution layer is formed of rubber and has a thickness of 3/16 of an inch to 7/16 of an inch, inclusive, and wherein the load distribution layer generally has a density of less than 70 lbs/ft3.

19. The flooring system of claim 12, wherein the upper layer comprises at least one interlocking feature that is a majority of the width of a respective side wall of the upper layer, the interlocking feature being adapted to engage an adjacent less damped zone.

20. The flooring system of claim 19, wherein the at least one interlocking feature comprises an elongate projection running along a majority of the length of a respective upper layer side wall.

11. A flooring system comprising:

at least one impact damping zone with a plurality of layers arranged in a stacked formation having a generally planar top surface, the plurality of layers having a total thickness no greater than 4 7/16 inches and cooperating to provide at least one of;

a coefficient of restitution no greater than 30%; and

a selected sound reduction characteristic, the selected sound reduction characteristic being a reduction of a maximum sound level of at least 5 dB from 40 to 63 Hz ⅓

octave bands and at least 13 dB at and above 80 Hz ⅓

octave bands normalized to ⅜

inch rollout rubber flooring.

18. The flooring system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of layers cooperate to provide both the coefficient of restitution no greater than 30% and the selected sound reduction characteristic.