ACOUSTICAL AND ENERGY ABSORBENT FLOORING UNDERLAYMENT
Disclosed is an acoustical flooring underlayment comprised of an energy absorbing layer formed from a polymeric gel, a first moisture barrier for engaging a subfloor and optionally a second moisture barrier for engaging hard flooring. The energy absorbing layer includes a first side surface, a second side surface and a plurality of edge surfaces. The flooring underlayment provides sound attenuating and energy absorbing properties to a flooring underlayment.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. Ser. No. 60/911,284 filed Apr. 12, 2007 and is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention generally relates to an underlayment for a floor and more specifically the flooring underlayment provides sound attenuating and energy absorbing properties to a flooring underlayment.
BACKGROUNDA typical hardwood, laminate, or engineered flooring system may include two or more layers. A top layer typically details the pattern and texture of the product, and may include a protective layer, such as a hard coating, for durability. A core layer may be prepared from pressed fiberboard, for example, or from other suitable materials. A bottom layer may be included to stabilize the product and to protect it from deleterious effects of moisture. Frequently, laminate or engineered flooring systems employ some type of tongue and groove design to allow the pieces of the flooring to bond together without requiring the use of adhesive.
Most hard flooring systems, particularly those which include wood and/or laminate flooring, include an underlayment which serves as a moisture barrier, an energy absorber and a leveler for the hard flooring. When used in a hard flooring system, the moisture barrier will prevent the migration of moisture from the subfloor into the hard flooring. As a result, whether or not an underlayment is capable of functioning as a moisture barrier is often an important consideration when selecting an underlayment for use with a hard flooring system. This is particularly true if the hard flooring system is to cover a concrete subfloor as moisture frequently seeps through the concrete subfloor and, in the absence of a moisture barrier, into the wood or laminate flooring where it causes the wood flooring to warp or the laminate flooring to delaminate.
Likewise, energy absorption is often an important consideration when selecting an underlayment for use with a hard flooring system because such an underlayment would absorb some of the sound or “echo” created by a person walking on the hard flooring. As a result, the hard flooring would be quieter and, therefore, more appealing to those concerned with the noise typically generated by hard flooring. Finally, by smoothing high points (peaks), low points (valleys), and other irregularities in a subfloor, an underlayment can help ensure that the relatively inflexible hard flooring rests on a more level surface.
A wide variety of underlayments are used in conjunction with hard flooring. For example, a thin, continuous film of a polymeric material, for example, polyethylene or vinyl, may be installed over the subfloor to provide a moisture barrier for the hard flooring. Oftentimes, a polymeric open cell foam layer is positioned over the polymer film to provide a degree of cushioning to the hard flooring placed above it. Variously, the polymer film and open cell foam layer may be laminated to one another or may be discrete components installed one over the other. Alternatively, a solid sheet of polymer having some cushioning characteristics, for example, a slightly polymerized vinyl chloride polymer, can function as both a moisture barrier and a cushion between the subfloor and the hard flooring. Another suitable underlayment is a laminate composite formed of a moisture impervious vinyl, polyethylene, or polyester film attached to latex or vinyl foam. Other underlayments used with hard flooring include nonwoven fiber batts of polyester, nylon, or polypropylene with a moisture barrier attached to one side of the fiber batt
It is well-known that moisture may cause undesirable cupping or warping of the flooring system. A vapor barrier may be employed to protect the laminate or engineered flooring system from damage caused by moisture. Though a vapor barrier may provide some protection against moisture damage, vapor barriers tend to increase the cost and installation complexity of such flooring systems.
Another issue that may be experienced with flooring systems is the sound that may be produced when the floor is used. In multi-story structures, for example, sound created by use of an upper unit floor may be transmitted down into the unit below. Likewise, sound may be reflected back into the unit in which it is created. A sound barrier layer may be employed to reduce one or both of transmitted and reflected noise. Typical sound barrier layers include dense rubber and plastic sheets, corks, recycled fibers, and various types of foams. Such sound barriers, however, tend to be heavy and to add to the complexity and overall cost of installation.
Examples of conventional foams used in flooring applications have EPC contents, and densities resulting in compressive strengths below about 0.50 kg/cm·sup·2. These properties of conventional olefin foam underlayments combine to produce relatively high reflected sound pressure levels (i.e., greater than about 13.5 dB average) in the 300 Hz to 1000 Hz range. Other underlayment materials, such as fiber pad, cork, and non-cross-linked foam, for example, also tend to produce relatively high reflected sound pressure levels in the 300 Hz to 1000 Hz frequency range. Such materials also tend to produce high moisture vapor transmission rates (MVTR) unless additional vapor barrier layers are incorporated.
Accordingly, it would be desirable if there were available flooring systems that produced relatively low sound reflections and moisture vapor transmission rates.
SUMMARYThe present invention includes a flooring underlayment configured for installation between hard flooring and a subfloor. The flooring underlayment is comprised of an energy absorbing layer formed from a polymeric gel compound such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,041,719, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by referenced in their entirety. The polymeric gel compound is affixed to a first moisture barrier affixed to a first side surface of the energy absorbing layer. When mechanical energy is applied to the hard flooring, the energy absorbing layer absorbs at least a portion of the acoustic energy produced by the hard flooring.
In further aspects thereof, the first moisture barrier may be a moisture impermeable film laminated to the first side surface of the energy absorbing layer or a closed cell foam attached to the first side surface of the energy absorbing layer. In still further aspects thereof, the flooring underlayment may further include a second moisture barrier laminated onto a second side surface of the energy absorbing layer. In this aspect, the first moisture barrier engages the subfloor while the second moisture barrier engages the hard flooring.
In another embodiment, a flooring underlayment configured for installation between hard flooring and a subfloor is disclosed. The flooring underlayment is comprised of an energy absorbing layer formed from a polymeric gel, a first moisture barrier for engaging a subfloor and a second moisture barrier for engaging hard flooring. The energy absorbing layer includes a first side surface, a second side surface and a plurality of edge surfaces. The first moisture barrier is laminated to the first side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes at least one edge surface laying flush with a corresponding one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer and at least one edge surface projecting past a corresponding one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer. The second moisture barrier is laminated to the second side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes plural edge surfaces, each of which corresponds to and lays flush with one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer. When mechanical energy is applied to the hard flooring, the energy absorbing layer absorbs at least a portion of the acoustic energy produced by the hard flooring.
In still another embodiment, disclosed herein is a hard flooring system configured for installation in a space defined by a subfloor, a first wall and a second wall. The hard flooring system is comprise of a first energy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment section, a second energy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment section, a hard flooring and a moisture resistive section. In turn, each of the first and second energy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment sections is comprised of an energy absorbing layer formed from a recycled material, a first moisture barrier for engaging a subfloor and a second moisture barrier engaging the hard flooring. The first moisture barrier is laminated to a first side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes at least one edge surface laying flush with a corresponding one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer and at least one edge surface projecting past a corresponding one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer. The second moisture barrier is laminated to a second side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes plural edge surfaces, each of which lays flush with one of the plurality of edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer.
As further disclosed herein, the projecting edge surface of the first moisture barrier laminated to the energy absorbing layer of the first energy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment section engages a portion of the first wall while the projecting edge surface of the first moisture barrier laminated to the energy absorbing layer of the second energy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment is positioned underneath a portion of the first moisture barrier laminated to the energy absorbing layer of the first energy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment section. Finally, the moisture resistive section engages the second wall and an edge surface of the energy absorbing layer of the second energy absorptive/moisture resistive underlayment section which abuts the second wall.
In the Drawings:
Disclosed is a flooring underlayment comprised of an energy absorbing layer formed from a polymeric gel, a first moisture barrier for engaging a subfloor and a second moisture barrier for engaging hard flooring. The energy absorbing layer includes a first side surface, a second side surface and a plurality of edge surfaces. The first moisture barrier is laminated to the first side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes at least one edge surface laying flush with a corresponding one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer and at least one edge surface projecting past a corresponding one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer. The second moisture barrier is laminated to the second side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes plural edge surfaces, each of which corresponds to and lays flush with one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer.
Referring now in greater detail to the drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views,
While Applicants have set forth embodiments as illustrated and described above, it is recognized that variations may be made with respect to disclosed embodiments. Therefore, while the invention has been disclosed in various forms only, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many additions, deletions and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, and no undue limits should be imposed except as set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A flooring underlayment comprising:
- an energy absorbing layer formed from a polymeric gel;
- a first moisture barrier for engaging a subfloor and a second moisture barrier for engaging a flooring.
2. The flooring underlayment of claim 1, wherein the energy absorbing layer includes a first side surface, a second side surface and a plurality of edge surfaces.
3. The flooring underlayment of claim 2, wherein a first moisture barrier is laminated to the first side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes at least one edge surface laying flush with a corresponding one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer and at least one edge surface projecting past a corresponding one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer.
4. The flooring underlayment of claim 3, wherein a second moisture barrier is laminated to the second side surface of the energy absorbing layer and includes plural edge surfaces, each of which corresponds to and lays flush with one of the edge surfaces of the energy absorbing layer.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 11, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 16, 2008
Inventor: Matthew Kriesel (Melrose, WI)
Application Number: 12/101,373
International Classification: E04B 1/72 (20060101);
