Acoustic article, decorative element, and systems comprising same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12304188-B2
Application number	US-202318316506-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2023
Priority date	Nov 29, 2021
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

Acoustic articles, decorative elements, and system comprising the same can include a decorative element having a first side and an opposing second side, and an acoustic article disposed on the opposing second side of the decorative element. The acoustic article can include an entangled fiber structure. The acoustic article can have a thickness of at least 0.4 mm, and can compress less than 25% of the thickness thereof when subjected to a pressure of 2 lbf/in 2 .

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flooring system comprising:
a decorative element having a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the decorative element has a first surface on the first side and a second surface on the opposing second side;
an acoustic article disposed on the opposing second side of the decorative element, wherein the acoustic article:
comprises a non-woven resiliently compressible material;
has a thickness from at least 0.4 mm to about 7 mm; and
is compressible from about 5% to about 25% of the thickness when subjected to a pressure of 2 lbf/in 2 ; and

a stiffening structure between the decorative element and the acoustic article.

2. The flooring system of claim 1 , wherein the stiffening structure consists of a single layer.

3. The flooring system of claim 1 , wherein the stiffening structure comprises a plurality of layers.

4. The flooring system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of layers are laminated together.

5. The flooring system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of layers comprise a layer of thermoplastic and a structural stabilizer.

6. The flooring system of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of layers comprise two thermoplastic layers.

7. The flooring system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of layers further comprise a structural stabilizer laminated between the two thermoplastic layers.

8. The flooring system of claim 1 , wherein the stiffening structure and the acoustic article have respective material properties such that the stiffening structure and the acoustic article cooperate to provide a stiffness of at least 40,000 microjoules/meter when measured in accordance with ASTM D1388-18.

9. The flooring system of claim 1 , wherein the stiffening structure and the acoustic article have respective material properties such that the stiffening structure and the acoustic article cooperate to provide a stiffness of at least 100,000 microjoules/meter when measured in accordance with ASTM D1388-18.

10. The flooring system of claim 1 , wherein the stiffening structure and the acoustic article have respective material properties such that the stiffening structure and the acoustic article cooperate to provide a stiffness of 2 times a stiffness of the acoustic article alone, when measured in accordance with ASTM D1388-18.

11. A decorative unit comprising:
a decorative element having a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the decorative element has a first surface on the first side and a second surface on the opposing second side;
an acoustic article coupled to the decorative element on the opposing second side of the decorative element, wherein the acoustic article:
comprises a non-woven resiliently compressible material;
has a thickness from at least 0.4 mm to about 7 mm; and
is compressible from about 5% to about 25% of the thickness when subject to a pressure of 2 lbf/in 2 ; and

a stiffening structure between the decorative element and the acoustic article.

12. A subsurface article comprising:
an acoustic article comprising a non-woven resiliently compressible material, wherein the acoustic article:
has a thickness from at least 0.4 mm to about 7 mm; and
is compressible from about 5% to about 25% of the thickness when subjected to a pressure of 2 lbf/in 2 ,

wherein the acoustic article has a first side; and
a stiffening structure comprising a thermoplastic layer positioned on the first side of the acoustic article,
wherein the stiffening structure and the acoustic article have respective material properties such that the stiffening structure and the acoustic article cooperate to provide a stiffness of at least 40,000 microjoules/meter when measured in accordance with ASTM D1388-18.

13. The subsurface article of claim 12 , wherein the stiffening structure consists of a single layer.

14. The subsurface article of claim 12 , wherein the stiffening structure comprises a plurality of layers.

15. The subsurface article of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of layers are laminated together.

16. The subsurface article of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of layers comprise a layer of the thermoplastic layer and a structural stabilizer.

17. The subsurface article of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of layers comprise two thermoplastic layers.

18. The subsurface article of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of layers further comprise a structural stabilizer laminated between the two thermoplastic layers.

19. The subsurface article of claim 12 , wherein the stiffening structure and the acoustic article have respective material properties such that the stiffening structure and the acoustic article cooperate to provide a stiffness of at least 1000,000 microjoules/meter when measured in accordance with ASTM D1388-18.

20. The subsurface article of claim 12 , wherein the stiffening structure and the acoustic article have respective material properties such that the stiffening structure and the acoustic article cooperate to provide a stiffness of 2 times a stiffness of the acoustic article alone, when measured in accordance with ASTM D1388-18.

21. The flooring system of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic article has a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the opposing second side of the acoustic article defines an outer most surface of the flooring system.

22. The flooring system of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic article is a continuous uninterrupted structure.

23. The decorative unit of claim 11 , wherein the acoustic article has a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the opposing second side of the acoustic article defines an outer most surface of the flooring system.

24. The subsurface article of claim 12 , wherein the acoustic article has a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the opposing second side of the acoustic article defines an outer most surface of the subsurface article.

Assignees

• Shaw Ind Group Inc

Inventors

• Hodgkins Clark
• Morton Barrett
• Brumbelow Julie
• Odum Thomas
• Hart Dennis
• Woodall Joseph Michael

Classifications

• B32B5/26

  another layer {next to it} also being fibrous or filamentary {(relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12)} · CPC title

• B32B7/12

  using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties · CPC title

• B32B2471/00

  Floor coverings (B32B2419/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B32B2307/7376

  Thickness · CPC title

• B32B2307/72

  Density · CPC title