U.S. patent application number 10/516273 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-24 for wall stud.
This patent application is currently assigned to LAFARGE PLATRES. Invention is credited to Christopher Walker.
Application Number | 20060185315 10/516273 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9937889 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060185315 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Walker; Christopher |
August 24, 2006 |
Wall stud
Abstract
A wall stud has two sidewalls interconnected by a spanning web
that includes first and second portions connected to respective
sidewalls and being connected themselves by a curved member,
preferably of semicircular shape. The curved member also has at
least one row of longitudinal slots formed along its length. Sound
insulating material may be packed within the stud.
Inventors: |
Walker; Christopher;
(Bristol Avon, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BUCHANAN INGERSOLL PC;(INCLUDING BURNS, DOANE, SWECKER & MATHIS)
POST OFFICE BOX 1404
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22313-1404
US
|
Assignee: |
LAFARGE PLATRES
500 RUE MARCEL DEMANQUE, ZONE du POLE TECHNOLOGIQUE,
AGROPARC
AVIGNON CEDEX 9
FR
84915
|
Family ID: |
9937889 |
Appl. No.: |
10/516273 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
May 30, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB03/02365 |
371 Date: |
February 15, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/837 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 2/7412
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/729.1 |
International
Class: |
E04C 3/30 20060101
E04C003/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 31, 2002 |
GB |
0212734.8 |
Claims
1. A wall stud comprising two opposing sidewalls interconnected by
a spanning web, the spanning web comprising first and second
substantially planar members connected to the respective sidewalls
and a curved member interconnecting the first and second planar
members, the curved member having at least one row of elongate
slots formed therein along a longitudinal axis thereof.
2. A wall stud according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of rows of
elongate slots are formed along a longitudinal axis of a curved
member, adjacent rows of elongate slots being longitudinally offset
from one another.
3. A wall stud according to claim 1, wherein the length of the
elongate slots is at least twice the length of the interposed
portions of the curved member.
4. A wall stud according to claim 1, wherein the width of the
curved member is approximately equal to the width of each of the
first and second planar members.
5. A wall stud according to claim 1, wherein the curved member is
substantially semicircular.
6. A wall stud according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the
sidewalls has a longitudinal acute groove.
7. A wall stud according to claim 6, wherein the acute grove is
located substantially midway across the width of the sidewall.
8. A wall stud according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the
surfaces of the sidewalls facing away from one another has a
plurality of depressions formed therein.
9. A wall stud according to claim 8, wherein said depressions are
pyramidal in shape.
10. A wall stud according to claim 8 , wherein said depressions are
formed by a deep knurling process.
11. A wall stud according to claim 1, wherein a first non-woven
tissue extends across opposing edges of the curved member, whereby
an enclosed space is defined between said non-woven tissue and the
curved member, and wherein a second non-woven tissue extends
between said opposing sidewalls.
12. A wall stud according to claim 1, wherein a sheet of material
having sound insulating properties extends between the opposing
sidewalls.
13. A wall stud according to claim 12, wherein said sheet of
material comprises glass or rock mineral wood, spun bonded
polyester wool or foamed plastic.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a wall stud having improved
acoustic and mechanical properties.
[0002] A common building technique for the fabrication of building
walls, and in particular internal walls, is to fasten sheets of
walling material, such as plasterboard, to vertical channel section
beams known as wall studs. Typically, each stud is secured to a
horizontal beam or channel secured to either the floor or ceiling
of the room in which the interior wall is being constructed. This
wall construction technique is both relatively simple and
inexpensive and further allows existing room spaces to be
subdivided if required, for example when altering the use of an
existing building.
[0003] Rather than fasten a sheet of plasterboard to either side of
the same wall stud, it is common practice to use two rows of
parallel wall studs and fasten a single sheet of plasterboard to
the outside faces of each of the paired studs. This is done to
create a relatively large air gap within the resulting wall that
provides low frequency sound insulation.
[0004] However, this kind of `double stud` construction usually
requires some form of brace to be fastened between parallel studs
spanning the air gap to give the structure adequate strength. As
the brace provides a necessarily stiff connection between studs, it
also provides a bridging sound transmission point, reducing the
sound insulating performance of the wall. Although attempts have
been made to overcome this problem by providing the braces with
resilient portions intended to reduce their sound transmission
properties, it remains less than totally satisfactory.
[0005] Furthermore, by using a double row of studs for a single
wall, the cost of materials used, and time required to install two
rows of tracks, is significantly increased over the costs that
would be incurred if a single stud construction could be used.
[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention there
is provided a wall stud comprising two opposing sidewalls
interconnected by a spanning web, the spanning web comprising first
and second substantially planar members connected to the respective
sidewalls and a curved member interconnecting the first and second
planar members, the curved member having at least one row of
elongate slots formed therein along a longitudinal axis
thereof.
[0007] It is therefore possible to provide a channel section wall
stud in which the single web interconnecting the two sidewalls to
which respective sheets of walling material will be fastened has a
cross section corresponding substantially to a letter C having
elongate sidearms.
[0008] Additionally or alternatively, the curved member has a
plurality of rows of elongate slots formed therein, adjacent rows
being longitudinally offset from one another. The slots are
preferably at least twice the length of the interconnecting
portions of the curved member. Optionally, the width of the curved
member (i.e. the diameter of the semicircular embodiment) is
approximately equal to the width of each of the first and second
planar members.
[0009] Preferably, the curved member is substantially
semicircular.
[0010] At least one of the sidewalls, and more preferably both, has
a longitudinal acute groove, for example, a V-shaped groove,
extending over at least a portion of the length of the stud.
Additionally, the acute groove is located substantially midway
across the width of the sidewall.
[0011] Preferably, at least one of the surfaces of the sidewalls
facing away from each other has a plurality of depressions formed
therein. Additionally, the depressions may be pyramidal in shape.
Additionally or alternatively, the depressions may be formed by a
deep knurling process and/or a corrugating process. The depressions
increases the stiffness of the sidewalls, thus making it easier to
fasten wall boards to the stud.
[0012] Optionally, a first non-woven tissue may extend across
opposing edges of the curved member, whereby an enclosed space is
defined between the non-woven tissue and the curved member, and a
second non-woven tissue may extend between the opposing
sidewalls.
[0013] Alternatively, a sheet of material having sound insulating
properties may extend between the opposing sidewalls. The sheet of
material may comprise glass or rock mineral wool matting, spun
bonded polyester wool foamed plastics, or any other suitable sound
absorbing material.
[0014] Embodiments of the present invention are described below, as
illustrative examples only, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, of which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a wall stud according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the wall stud shown in
FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a front view of a wall stud according to a second
embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a front view of a wall stud according to a third
embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the
present invention;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a wall stud according to a second
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0021] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a wall stud according to a further
embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a stud wall construction
according to the prior art; and
[0023] FIG. 9 schematically illustrates a stud wall construction
using a stud according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates in plan view a first embodiment of the
present invention. The stud 2 has first and second sidewalls 4, 6
to which, in use, sheet walling material, indicated by chained
lines 8, 10 can be attached. The sidewalls 4, 6 are substantially
parallel to one another and/or substantially equal in width, their
length being equal to the length of a wall stud and therefore
equivalent to the height of the wall being constructed.
Interconnecting the sidewalls 4, 6 along respective edges is a
spanning web 12 that comprises first and second planar portions 14,
16 projecting from the respective sidewalls 4; 6 and a curved
member 18 interconnecting the first and second planar portions. In
the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the curved member is semicircular,
such that should two identical wall studs be brought together with
their spanning webs 12 adjacent to one another, the respective
curved members 18 will form a complete circle. Additionally,
in-turned flanges 20, 22 extend inwards from the free edges of the
sidewalls 4, 6 and are substantially parallel to the portions 14,
16.
[0025] FIG. 2 shows a front perspective view of the stud shown in
FIG. 1 and it can be seen that the curved member 18 has a number of
longitudinal slots 24 formed along its length and, in the
embodiment shown, along the central axis of the curved member 18.
In preferred embodiments the length of the longitudinal slots 24 is
at least twice that of the interconnecting portions of the curved
member 18. Contrary to expectations, it has been found that the
provision of the curved member 18 and the slots 24 do not
significantly weaken the wall stud when compared with standard "C"
studs. It is thought that the curved member 18 introduces
sufficient resilience to the wall stud to allow some flexing of the
stud, which absorbs some of the vibrational energy imparted to the
wall stud 2 by soundwaves incident on the sheet wall members 8, 10.
It is thought that the longitudinal slots 24 further improve the
sound insulating qualities of the stud 2 by providing a physical
break in the transmission path of the sound vibrations through the
curved member 18. The slots 24 also minimise the material used in
spanning web 12.
[0026] Also visible in FIG. 2, are the plurality of pyramid shaped
depressions 26 that are formed in the outside surfaces of the
sidewalls 4, 6. The depressions are preferably formed by deep
knurling the sidewalls 4, 6 during manufacture of the stud 2,
although other suitable manufacturing processes may also be used.
Equally, other shaped depressions may additionally or alternatively
provided, such as corrugations. Each depression is preferably 2 mm
square and 2 mm in-depth and are formed in a repeating pattern 2 mm
apart from one another. The depressions increase the stiffness of
the sidewalls making it easier to attach sheets of wall material to
them, for example using screws. Also more clearly visible in FIG. 2
are acutely angled grooves 28, 30 formed within the respective
sidewalls 4, 6 and directed towards each other.
[0027] Preferred dimensions for the wall stud 2 are as follows:
[0028] The spanning web 12 may be between 40 mm and 150 mm in
width.
[0029] The width of the curved member 18, or diameter, may be
approximately 1/3 of the total width of the spanning web 12, with
the curved member 18 located substantially centrally in the
web.
[0030] The width of the sidewalls 4, 6 may be between 32 mm and 52
mm.
[0031] The width of the interned flanges 20,22 may be between 6 mm
and 12 mm.
[0032] The length of the slots 24 may be approximately 70 mm.
[0033] The separation of the slots 24 may be between 10 mm and 25
mm (i.e. the length to separation ratio of the slots is
approximately 3:1).
[0034] The width of the slots 24 is approximately between 1 mm to 4
mm.
[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the present
invention in which more than a single row of elongate slots are
provided along the length of the curved member 18. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 3 a first and second row of slots 24, 25
is provided, with the second row of slots 25 being displaced along
the length of the curved member 18 by approximately half the length
of a slot with respect to the first row of slots 24. The two rows
of slots are equally spaced apart across the curved member 18.
[0036] FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment having a first,
second and third row of elongate slots 24, 25, 27 provided along
the length of the curved member 18, with the third, middle, row of
slots 27 being displaced relative to the first and second rows 24,
25. In other embodiments further rows of slots may be provided,
preferably equally spaced around the curved member 18.
[0037] By providing multiple rows of elongate slots the ability of
the stud to transmit sound waves is further reduced. In the
illustrated embodiments it is preferred to displace the rows of
slots with respect to one another to maintain sufficient strength
within the stud. However, other arrangements of the rows of slots
may be utilised in conjunction with appropriate stud materials and
the illustrated embodiments are not to be considered as limiting
the scope of the present invention.
[0038] A further embodiment of a wall stud according to an
embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5. As in FIGS.
1 to 4, the stud includes first and second planar portions 14, 16
interconnected by a curved member. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, a
row of diagonal slots 24' is provided in the curved member. The
slots extending across a substantial proportion of the
circumference of the curved member but not across its entirety.
[0039] FIG. 6 illustrates a plan view a further embodiment of wall
stud according to the present invention. The stud 2 has a non-woven
fibreglass tissue 32 extending across the open face of the curved
member 18 and attached to a first and second portions 14, 16 of the
spanning web 12. A second non-woven tissue 34 extends between
opposing surfaces of the sidewalls 4, 6. The provision of the
non-woven fibreglass tissue increases the sound absorbing
performance of the wall stud 2.
[0040] FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of wall stud
according to the present invention in which a sheet of sound
absorbing material 36 extends between opposing faces of the
sidewalls 4, 6, substantially filling the space defined by the
sidewalls and spanning web 12 of the stud 2. The sound absorbing
material 36 may be fibreglass insulation, spun bonded polyester
wool, or any other suitable material. As for the embodiment shown
in FIG. 3, the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 provides an improved
sound insulation performance for the stud 2. Both of the
embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 reduce the sound transmission
across the stud by approximately 2 dB.
[0041] A stud wall construction according to prior art techniques
is schematically illustrated in FIG. 8. Two parallel vertical studs
81 and 82 are provided, to each of which a single sheet of
plasterboard or other walling 83 is fastened. Each row of studs is
located in an upper and lower horizontal track. To add structural
rigidity to the wall construction a brace 84 is fastened between
the studs 81, 82. The brace 84 has a resilient section 85 formed by
folded sections of the brace in an effort to reduce its sound
transmission qualities.
[0042] This is contrasted by the stud wall construction illustrated
in FIG. 9 using a stud 2 in accordance with embodiments of the
present invention. In the illustrated embodiment the stud 2 used is
substantially larger than the prior art studs 81, 82 shown in FIG.
8 and is located in appropriately sized single upper and lower
tracks. This allows sheets of plasterboard 83 to be fastened to the
outer face of the opposing sidewalls of the stud 2, whilst still
providing an air gap between the plasterboard sheets that is
substantially the same as that provided by the prior art stud wall
construction illustrated in FIG. 8. The curved member 18 of the
stud 2 provides similar resilience as that provided by the
resilient portion 85 of the prior art brace 84.
* * * * *