GB2485181A

GB2485181A - An insulation panel support member

Info

Publication number: GB2485181A
Application number: GB1018587.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Darren Virgil Webb; Matthew William Douglas Miller
Original assignee: Polypipe Terrain Ltd
Current assignee: Polypipe Terrain Ltd
Priority date: 2010-11-03
Filing date: 2010-11-03
Publication date: 2012-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2030-11-03
Also published as: GB2485181B; GB201018587D0; GB2485277A; GB201119035D0; GB2485277B

Abstract

A building member 1 101 for supporting an insulation panel located under a floor, the building member comprising a body 2 102 and supporting member 5 105 attached to said body 2 102 for supporting at least a part of an insulation panel located on said supporting means 5 105 beside the body, below the floor. The body may be U shaped 2 and have barbs located in the inside of the U for engaging with floor support members, for example joists or girders. Alternatively the body may be a closed cross section 102 and have one or more reinforcing ribs 115 located within a hollow cavity and is designed to provide a rigid support. In both cases the supporting member may be at least one projection or flange extending outwards from the body, the side walls of the body may have maintaining means 7 107 in the form of a barb to engage with the insulation panel and hold it in place. The building member may be made from extruded plastic or another resilient material.

Description

A building member The present invention relates to a building member for supporting an insulation panel located under a flooring panel.

Traditional floor constructions typically include a floor comprising flooring panels, for example chipboard panels attached directly to floor support members, for example in the form of support members, for example wooden joists or battens below. The joists are spaced apart and provide support for the flooring panels. Insulation may be provided under the flooring panels to provide for both sound and heat insulation. The void under a flooring panel may vary in size due to the depth of the supporting joists. In the alternative, a concrete form may be provided, in which a void or recess is formed to receive insulation material. The use of standard sizes of insulation material which are not matched to the depth of the void may result in insufficient insulation.

The present invention seeks to overcome or ameliorate at least some of the problems associated with the known art.

According to the present invention there is provided a building member as claimed in claim 1.

The supporting means may be configured to fit under and support an edge of the insulation panel. The body may be rigid, resilient or flexible. The supporting means may be rigid or resilient. The supporting means may be arranged on the body such that a predetermined distance is provided between the supporting means and the underside of a flooring panel above. The supporting means preferably are arranged to support a panel, such as an insulation panel, underneath the floor, on either side of the body.

The floor may rest directly on the body, or at least on the support member for example a joist without any other panel, in particular without any insulation panel between the floor and the joist. The building member may provide a support rail or channel for supporting an insulation panel. The building member may be suitable for floor arrangements with underiloor heating. The building member may be suitable for acoustic floor constructions, where a flooring panel is maintained in a spaced relationship, or "floating" from another. The building member may be formed to provide an acoustic member, for example a member which dampens vibrations.

The supporting means may be configured to bias an insulation panel thereon toward said flooring panel. This seeks to ensure that the insulation panel is held as close as possible to the flooring panel above.

The body may be formed ta be locatable, in use, on a floor support member such as a joist or batten. The floor support member may for example be a traditional wooden joist or batten with square or rectangular cross section. The body may have an open U-shaped section. The body may be formed to any suitable shape to fit a floor support member such as an open square, rectangle or semicircle, for example by resting above and around the joist, with the support means extending away from the side surfaces of the joist. ln this way, the body of the building member may be fitted over the floor support member without any further fixings being required.

The body may comprise two opposing side members and a transverse member connecting said side members, which may be joined at respective ends thereof. The transverse member may to arranged to rest in use against the top surface of a floor support member.

The side members may be substantially parallel. The side members may be formed to adapt to the sides of the floor support member.

The supporting means may comprise one or more flange members each connected to one of said side members. The flange may be formed integrally with the side members.

The or each flange member may be substantially planar. The flange may be formed as a longitudinal planar surface suitable for receiving an edge of an insulation panel.

The building member may further comprise maintaining means configured, in use, to maintain an insulation panel located on said supporting means against said supporting means. The maintaining means may provide an interference fit or engage over the insulation panel in use.

The maintaining means may be formed as a barb. Such a form may also permit the insulation panel to be fitted in one direction with little resistance, the barb being formed to resist removal of the insulation panel.

Supporting means may be provided on opposing sides of said body. In the alternative, a supporting means may be provided on a single side of the body. The building member may be symmetrical about plane along its longitudinal axis.

The flange member may form an angle less than 90 degrees with said side member; towards the transverse member.

The distance between opposing side members may increase away from the transverse member. This permits the body to be readily fitted over a floor support member. A radius may be provided between the supporting member and the side member to facilitate the location of the body over a floor support member.

The body may comprise one or more gripping members to grip said body to said floor support member. The gripping members may provide an interference fit between the body and the floor support member. The gripping members may fit around or partially over the floor support member.

The or each gripping member may be formed as a barb. The barb may be configured to allow movement as the body is fitted over the floor support member but to resist movement. The barb may therefore serve to maintain the body of the building member over said floor support member.

The body may be formed with a closed cross-section, the body providing a rigid support. In this way, the body may be used as a floor support member. In this case, the body section may be provided with one or more reinforcing ribs. The ribs serve to increase the rigidity of the body to support loads, in use, from a floor panel above said body.

Cut outs may be provided along the length of the building member. The cut outs permit the building member to be located around other parts of a floor assembly.

The building member may be elongate, and may be formed of extruded plastic.

Alternatively, the building member may not be elongate, and the length in a joist extending direction may be similar to or shorter than the width of the joist, with a plurality of such building members being placed, in use, on a joist to support insulation panels. Such an arrangement would reduce the need to cut the building member to the length of the joist on which it is to be mounted. Any other suitable materials may be used. The building member may have a constant cross-section along its longitudinal length. Alternatively, materials of different degrees of rigidity may be used for different parts of the building member. The building member may be formed as a single integral part. Metal or composite elements may be set in the building member to provide additional support.

The building member may be formed of a resilient material. A resilient material may be used to provide flexibility of the supporting members, the gripping and/or the maintaining means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a floor assembly comprising a building member according to the first aspect of the invention, an insulation panel and a flooring panel. The insulation panel may be, for example, an underfloor heating carrying insulation panel. Preferably, the floor assembly further comprises an underfloor heating pipe assembly mounted in an insulation panel.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a use of a building member according to any one of the preceding claims to support an insulating panel located under a flooring panel.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an end view of an embodiment of a building member according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an underfloor heating assembly according to an embodiment of the invention including an embodiment of a building member according to a Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end view of a second embodiment of a building member according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view of an underfloor heating assembly according to an embodiment the invention including an embodiment of a building member according to Figure 4.

An embodiment of a building member according to the invention is shown generally as item I in Figure 1.

The building member 1 comprises an elongate body 2. The body 2 comprises two substantially planar spaced side members 3, each joined along one edge by a transverse member 4.

The transverse member 4 is substantially planer and is thin relative to its width and length and has a substantially constant thickness.

The body 2 forms a substantially square cross section, open on one side. The body 2 is configured to fit over and be locatable on a floor support member such as a wooden joist, such that the underside of the transverse member 4 rests atop the floor support member, with the side members 3 extending downwardly beside the joist.

The faces of the side members may be parallel, or as shown in the embodiment of Figure 1, the distance between the side members 3 increases away from the transverse member 4 to facilitate the fitting of the body 2 on the floor support member.

The transverse member 4 and the side members 3 are formed to rest against the joist in use.

Gripping means 6 are provided on the side members 3 on the inner sides of the body 3. The gripping means 6, in the embodiment shown, are formed as barbs which are substantially planar protrusions which protrude from the side members 3 angled toward transverse member 4. In this way, when the body 2 is located over the joist, the barbs serve to resist removal of the body 2 from the joist.

The body 2 is provided with supporting means 5, which in the embodiment shown are formed as substantially planar flanges 5 respectively connected to either one of the side members 3 on the outer opposing sides of the body 2. The flanges 5 are arranged at an angle less than 90 degrees to their respective side member 3. In other words, the free end of each flange 5 is closer to the plane of the transverse member 4 than is the join between flange 5 and side member 3. In the embodiment shown, the flanges 5 are attached to the bottom of the side members 3. A flange 5 is provided on either side of the body 2. However, a body with a single flange is foreseen, which may be used with a floor support member adjacent the side of a room in which the flooring panels are laid.

The flanges 5 have a generally flat upper surface. The flanges 5 also have a generally flat lower surface. The flanges 5 are thin relative to their width and length and they have a substantially constant thickness.

The body 2 is also provided with maintaining means 7 on the side members 3 on the outer sides of the body 3. The maintaining means 7 are formed as barbs which, in the embodiment shown, are substantially planar protrusions which from the side members 3 are angled toward the supporting means 5. In use, an insulating panel may be supported by the supporting means 5 and the maintaining means 7 serve to resist movement of the insulating panel on the flanges.

The flange 5 is angled toward the transverse member 4, when an insulation panel is located on the supporting flange 5 and biases the insulation panel toward a flooring panel located above the building member 1.

The building member I and the supporting means 5 may be formed of a resilient plastics material such that the flanges further bias the supporting means 5 toward the flooring panel when in use. Alternatively, the building members I may be formed of a rigid material. Alternatively, materials of different degrees of rigidity may be used for different aspects of the building member.

In the present embodiment, as the building member is formed of a resilient material, each of the maintaining means 7 may deform resiliently under loading. Furthermore, when not in contact with an insulating panel supported by a flange 5, each of the maintaining means 7 slopes away from the respective side element 3 to which it is attached. Accordingly, the maintaining means 7 and the flange 5 are angled toward one another to hold an insulating panel located therebetween securely.

As shown in Figure 2, the building member I is of constant cross-section along its length. The building member of the present embodiment is elongate and formed by a plastic extrusion process.

Figure 3 shows a floor assembly according an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 3, a floor support member, which in the embodiment shown is a wooden joist 12, is positioned between the two side members 3 of the body 2 of the building member 1. The body 2 sits over the joist 12 such that the underside of the transverse member 4 lies flush atop the upper surface of the joist 12.

The gripping means 6 provided on the inside of the side members 3 of the body 2 restrict movement of the building element 1 with respect to the joist 12. If the building member 1 is formed of a resilient material, when not engaged with the joist, each of the gripping means 6 slopes slightly upwards toward the transverse member 4. In other words, the free end of each gripping means 6 is slightly elevated with respect to the end of the gripping means 6 which is attached to the respective side member 3. The gripping means 6 therefore serve to restrict movement of the building member I with respect to the joist 12 on which is it located.

The use of a building member in accordance with an embodiment of the invention will now be described. Mounts 8, for example formed of rubber or a plastics material, are positioned on a preferably flat floor surface at spaced intervals. Each mount 8 is formed with a channel for receiving a floor support member 12, for example a wooden joist, within the channel so that each joist is supported at spaced intervals along its length.

The assembly of the embodiment comprises a plurality of spaced joists 12 each supported by mounts 8.

The depth at which the joist 12 is received in the channel of the mounts 8 can be adjusted by depositing a spacer 13 for example in the form of a joist packer within the channel, thereby raising the height at which the joist 12 is received within the channel.

Once the desired height of joist 12 has been obtained, buiiding members 1 are lowered onto each section of joist 12 spanning the gap between successive floor support members 12. The building member may be cut to fit the gap between the joists 12.

The use of rubber or plastic mounts 8 provides good damping properties and helps to dampen vibration of the building members 1 and whatever the supports 1 or joists 12 are supporting. The mounts also provide good acoustic properties, such as acoustic damping.

When fitted, the underside of the transverse member 4 of each building member is in contact with the upper surface of the floor support member 12. The gripping means 6 engage with the side surfaces of the floor support member 12, which in the embodiment shown is a wooden joist. Thus the joist 12 is positioned and held within the building member 1.

Next, an insulation panel 9 is lowered onto the supporting means in the form of flanges so that each longitudinal edge of the insulation panel 9 is supported by a flange 5 of a building member 1.

In the embodiment shown, each insulation panel 9 has grooves in its upper surface for receiving heating pipes 10. The grooves have a depth such that when heating pipes 10 are received in the grooves, the tops of the heating pipes 10 are level with the upper surface of the insulation panel 9. To provide underfloor heating, heating pipes 10 are located into the grooves of the insulation panels 9.

The next step is for the flooring panels 11 to be lowered onto the building members 1 transverse to the longitudinal direction of the floor support members 12 50 that the flooring panels 11 span the gap between any two neighbouring building members 1.

This arrangement allows the heating pipes 10, which are level with the upper surface of the insulation panel, to be in contact with the underside of the flooring panel.

Before the flooring panels 11 are lowered into position, the top surface of an insulation panel 9 which is supported between two flanges 5 of neighbouring building members I may be above a notional plane formed between the top surfaces of building members of the neighbouring supports 1.

When flooring panels 11 are lowered into position, the flooring panels 11 displace the insulation panels 9 downwards. The flanges 5 bias the insulation panels 9 toward the flooring panel 11. The thickness of the insulation panel 9 or the distance between the flange 5 and the transverse member 4 may be chosen such that the flanges bias the insulation panels 9 upwards into contact with the bottom surface of the flooring panels 11. This serves to provide a tight contact and improved heat transfer from the heating pipes 10 to the flooring panels 11.

The use of suitably resilient plastics material for the building member 1 can serve to reduce transmission of vibrations to or from a flooring panel supported by the building member, and may act as a damper to damp vibration of the flooring panel. Thus the building member may serve to reduce sound transmission and is particularly useful in acoustic flooring systems.

Figure 4 shows a building member generally as item 101 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In contrast to the first embodiment, the body of the second embodiment is formed with a closed cross section body 102 comprising substantially parallel spaced side members 103 and a transverse member 104 adjoining respective edges of one pair of longitudinal edges of the side members 103 and a base member 114 adjoining the other pair of respective longitudinal edges of the side members 103 such that a substantially rectangular closed cross section is formed. In the embodiment shown, the cross section is hollow, which may serve to reduce weight and materials.

Vertical reinforcement ribs 115 are provided between the transverse member 104 and the base member 114. These reinforcement ribs 115 provide structural rigidity to permit loading on said building member 101 from a flooring panel above.

Similarly to the first embodiment, the second embodiment is provided with supporting means in the form of flanges 105. In the second embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the flanges 105 are attached to the side members 103 spaced slightly from the base member 114.

As in the first embodiment, the second embodiment is also provided with maintaining means 107. The function of the supporting means 105 and the maintaining means 107 is the same as in the first embodiment and will not be described further here.

As shown in Figure 5, the building member 101 is elongate and its cross section is substantially constant along its longitudinal length although in the embodiment shown a number of spaced rectangular cut-outs 116 are formed Figure 6 shows the building member 101 of the second embodiment of the invention in an underfloor heating assembly. The process of installation of this underiloor heating assembly is similar to that described for the first embodiment. However, in the assembly comprising the second embodiment, the body 102 of the building member 101 serves as a floor support member such that no separate floor support member, e.g. joist, is required.

In the assembly shown, mounts 8 are positioned on a floor surface. Each mount 8 has a channel for receiving the body 102 of the building member 101. As with the floor assembly of the first embodiment, the mounts 8 are spaced apart with a building member 101 spanning the gap between two mounts successive mounts 8.

The depth at which the building member 101 is received in the channel can be reduced by depositing a spacer 13 in form of a joist packer within the channel, thereby raising the height of a building member received within the channel.

The cut-outs 116 in the building member 101 provide for sections where the flanges and the maintaining means 107 are not present so that the mounts B can engage with the side members 103 of the body 102.

The cut-outs 116 may be formed by punching out the flanges 105 and maintaining means 107 at the desired location to remove them from the building member 101.

An insulation panel 9, which may include channels carrying heating pipes 10 is lowered onto flanges 105 so that one edge of the insulation panel 9 is supported by the flange 105 of a first building member 101, and the other edge of the insulation panel 9 is supported by the flange 105 of a second building member 1001, identical to the first building member 101, which is spaced from the first building member 101.

As with the first embodiment, the flanges 105 are angles to bias the insulation panels 9 toward the flooring panel 11. The thickness of the insulation panel 9 or the distance between the flange 105 and the transverse member 104 may be chosen such that the flanges bias the insulation panels 9 upwards into contact with the bottom surface of the flooring panels 11. This serves to provide a tight contact and improved heat transfer from the heating pipes 10 to the flooring panels 11.

Although the building member is particularly suitable for use in acoustic flooring systems, it is not limited to use in such systems. For example, the support can be used in more traditional timber floor systems, or in more general building constructions which make use of concrete, steel or timber frames.

Various modifications may be made to the described embodiments and it is desired that all such modifications are included as fall within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A building member for supporting an insulation panel located under a floor, the building member comprising: a body; and supporting means attached to said body for supporting at least a part of an insulation panel located on said supporting means beside the body, below the floor.
2. A building member according to claim 1, wherein the supporting means is configured, in use, to bias said insulation panel toward said flooring panel.
3. A building member according to claim I or 2, wherein the body comprises two opposing side members and a transverse member connecting said side members.
4. A building member according to claim 3, wherein the side members are substantially parallel.
5. A building member according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the supporting means comprises at least one flange member connected to a respective side member.
6. A building member according to 5, wherein the or each flange member is substantially planar.
7. A building member according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the flange members each form an angle less than 90 degrees with the side member to which they are connected.
8. A building member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the building member further comprises maintaining means configured, in use, to maintain an insulation panel located on said supporting means against said supporting means.
9. A building member according to claim 8, wherein the maintaining means is formed as a barb.
10. A building member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein supporting means are provided on opposing sides of said body.
11. A building member according to any one of the preceding claims, the body being formed to be locatable, in use, on a floor support member.
12. A building member according to claim 11, wherein a floor support member is locatable within a U shaped recess formed by the opposing side members and transverse member, the building member being supported on the floor support member.
13. A building member according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the body comprises at least one gripping member for gripping said floor support member.
14. A building member according to claim 13, wherein the or each gripping member is formed as a barb.
15. A building member according to any one of claims ito 10, wherein the body is formed with a closed cross-section, the body providing a rigid support.
16. A building member according to claim 15, the body section is provided with one or more reinforcing ribs.
17. A building member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein cut outs are provided along the length of the building member.
18. A building member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the building member is elongate
19. A building member according to any one of the preceding claims, being formed of extruded plastic.
20. A building member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the building member is formed of a resilient material.
21. The use of a building member according to any one of the preceding claims to support an insulating panel located under a flooring panel.
22. A building member substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
23. A floor assembly comprising a building member according to any one of claims I to 22, at least one insulation panel and at least one flooring panel, wherein the insulation panel comprises recesses for receiving underfloor heating pipes.
24. A floor assembly as claimed in claim 23, further comprising an underfloor heating pipe assembly mounted in the insulation panel.
25. Use of a building member to support an insulation panel under a flooring panel substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.