Sound-insulating floor structures, sound-insulating floor members and method for constructing said sound-insulating floor structures

• US 6,672,426 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hayakawa Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: Hayakawa Rubber Company
• Inventors: Kakimoto, Hirofumi, Kiso, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLON SANTANA, EDUARDO
• Application Number:
  US10/118,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20030188921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 181/284, 181/285, 181/293, 181/286, 181/294, 181/295, 181/290, 522/201, 522/208, 521/44, 521/45
• US Class Current: 181/290
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/225 Shock absorber members therefor

Abstract

A sound-insulating floor structure, which can conspicuously reduce heavy floor impact sounds, is provided. The sound-insulating floor structure includes a floor base and an underfloor member. A plurality of sound-insulating floor members are arranged between the floor base and the underfloor member, and each of the sound-insulating floor members includes a plurality of impact-absorbing members and a support member supporting the impact-absorbing members. The impact-absorbing members are provided at at least one of upper and lower faces of the support member. Each of the sound-insulating floor members is fixed to the floor base or to the underfloor member, thereby supporting the underfloor member.

Claims

1. A sound-insulating floor structure comprising a floor base, a plurality of sound-insulating floor members arranged on the floor base, and an underfloor member placed on the sound-insulating floor members, each of said sound-insulating floor members comprising a plurality of impact-absorbing members and a support member supporting said impact-absorbing members, said impact-absorbing members being provided on lower faces and optionally on upper faces of the support member, said impact-absorbing members on the lower faces of the support member extending to the floor base, each of said sound-insulating floor members being fixed to the floor base or the underfloor member to support the underfloor member, and each of the impact-absorbing members possesses at least one spring characteristic selected from a linear spring, a degressive spring, progressive spring and a stationary load spring, and at least one impact-absorbing member has a spring characteristic different from that of another impact-absorbing member.

2. The sound-insulating floor structure set forth in claim 1, wherein said floor base is constituted by connecting a plurality of floor bases in a same direction, and/or said underfloor member is constituted by connecting a plurality of underfloor members in a same direction, and said sound-insulating floor members are arranged to be orthogonal to a seam or seams of the floor bases or the underfloor members.

3. A sound-insulating floor member to be provided between a floor base and an underfloor member above said floor base, said sound-insulating floor member comprising a plurality of impact-absorbing members and a support member supporting said impact-absorbing members, said impact-absorbing members being provided on lower faces and optionally on upper faces of the support member, wherein when a plurality of said sound-insulating floor members are arranged between the floor base and the underfloor member, said impact-absorbing members on the lower faces of the support member extending to the floor base and each of said sound-insulating floor member being fixed to the floor base or the underfloor member to support the underfloor member, and each of the impact-absorbing members possesses at least one spring characteristic selected from a linear spring, a degressive spring, progressive spring and a stationary load spring, and at least one impact-absorbing member has a spring characteristic different from that of another impact-absorbing member.

4. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 3, wherein each of the impact-absorbing members comprises at least one kind of rubber selected from the group consisting of a gas-sealed rubber, a fiber-sealed rubber, a foam-sealed rubber, a clay-sealed rubber and a liquid-sealed rubber.

5. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 4, wherein the impact-absorbing members comprise higher impact-absorbing members and lower impact-absorbing members, the higher impact-absorbing members support the underfloor member, spaces are formed between the lower impact-absorbing members and the underfloor member, the support members or the floor base, and when the underfloor member displaces upon receipt of the impact, the lower impact-absorbing members contact the underfloor member, the support members or the floor base.

6. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 5, wherein said support members comprise bent plates each formed by bending a slender plate in a width direction or cylindrical members.

7. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 6, wherein a viscoelastic body is laminated upon an inner face of the bent plate or the cylindrical member.

8. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 7, wherein at least one material selected from the group consisting of a foam, a fibrous material, a powder, a material obtained by fixing said powder with a binder and a damping material is filled in an inner side of said bent plate or said cylindrical member.

9. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 6, wherein at least one material selected from the group consisting of a foam, a fibrous material, a powder, a material obtained by fixing said powder with a binder and a damping material is filled in an inner side of said bent plate or said cylindrical member.

10. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 4, wherein said support members comprise bent plates each formed by bending a slender plate in a width direction or cylindrical members.

11. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 10, wherein a viscoelastic body is laminated upon an inner face of the bent plate or the cylindrical member.

12. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 11, wherein at least one material selected from the group consisting of a foam, a fibrous material, a powder, a material obtained by fixing said powder with a binder and a damping material is filled in an inner side of said bent plate or said cylindrical member.

13. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 10, wherein at least one material selected from the group consisting of a foam, a fibrous material, a powder, a material obtained by fixing said powder with a binder and a damping material is filled in an inner side of said bent plate or said cylindrical member.

14. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 3, wherein the impact-absorbing members comprises higher impact-absorbing members and lower impact-absorbing members, the higher impact-absorbing members support the underfloor member, spaces are formed between the lower impact-absorbing members and the underfloor member, the support members or the floor base, and when the underfloor member displaces upon receipt of the impact, the lower impact-absorbing members contact the underfloor member, the support members or the floor base.

15. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 14, wherein said support members comprise bent plates each formed by bending a slender plate in a width direction or cylindrical members.

16. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 15, wherein a viscoelastic body is laminated upon an inner face of the bent plate or the cylindrical member.

17. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 16, wherein at least one material selected from the group consisting of a foam, a fibrous material, a powder, a material obtained by fixing said powder with a binder and a damping material is filled in an inner side of said bent plate or said cylindrical member.

18. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 15, wherein at least one material selected from the group consisting of a foam, a fibrous material, a powder, a material obtained by fixing said powder with a binder and a damping material is filled in an inner side of said bent plate or said cylindrical member.

19. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 3, wherein said support members comprise bent plates each formed by bending a slender plate in a width direction or cylindrical members.

20. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 19, wherein a viscoelastic body is laminated upon an inner face of the bent plate or the cylindrical member.

21. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 20, wherein at least one material selected from the group consisting of a foam, a fibrous material, a powder, a material obtained by fixing said powder with a binder and a damping material is filled in an inner side of said bent plate or said cylindrical member.

22. The sound-insulating floor member set forth in claim 19, wherein at least one material selected from the group consisting of a foam, a fibrous material, a powder, a material obtained by fixing said powder with a binder and a damping material is filled in an inner side of said bent plate or said cylindrical member.

23. A method for constructing a sound-insulating floor structure comprising a floor base, a plurality of sound-insulating floor members on said floor base, and an underfloor member on the sound-insulating floor members, said method comprising the steps of preparing a plurality of impact-absorbing members and support members for supporting said impact-absorbing members, forming each of the sound-insulating floor members by providing the impact-absorbing members on lower faces and optionally on upper faces of the support member, arranging the sound-insulating floor members between the floor base and the underfloor member such that the impact-absorbing members on the lower faces of the support member extend to the floor base, fixing each of the sound-insulating floor members to the floor base or the underfloor member, and thereby supporting the underfloor member with the sound-insulating floor members.