Subfloor component and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A subfloor component includes an insulating foam panel having first and second opposing faces and a plurality of intersecting grooves to define, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals having walls that extend into the panel from the first face toward the second face. The subfloor component also includes a moisture-resistant film attached to the first face of the panel and that conforms to the pedestals, and a hardboard layer on the second face of the panel. Methods of manufacturing subfloor components are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A subfloor component comprising:
 an insulating foam panel having first and second opposing faces and a plurality of intersecting grooves to define, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals having walls that extend into the panel from the first face toward the second face;   a moisture-resistant film attached to the first face of the panel and that conforms to the pedestals; and   a hardboard layer on the second face of the panel.   
     
     
         2 . The subfloor component of  claim 1 , wherein the moisture-resistant film is fused to the panel. 
     
     
         3 . The subfloor component of  claim 2 , wherein the moisture-resistant film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). 
     
     
         4 . The subfloor component of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pedestals has a single wall. 
     
     
         5 . The subfloor component of  claim 4 , wherein the pedestals are shaped as circles or ellipses. 
     
     
         6 . The subfloor component of  claim 1 , wherein the panel comprises expanded polystyrene (EPS). 
     
     
         7 . The subfloor component of  claim 1 , wherein the hardboard layer and the panel are attached to each other with glue. 
     
     
         8 . The subfloor component of  claim 1 , wherein the intersecting grooves are rectangular. 
     
     
         9 . The subfloor component of  claim 8 , wherein the walls of the intersecting grooves have a height of about 15 millimetres to about 20 millimetres. 
     
     
         10 . The subfloor component of  claim 8 , wherein the width of the intersecting grooves is about 15 millimetres to about 20 millimetres. 
     
     
         11 . The subfloor component of  claim 1 , wherein the pedestals are shaped as circles, ellipses, rectangles, diamonds, squares and/or hexagons. 
     
     
         12 . The subfloor component of  claim 1 , wherein the hardboard layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of: OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board. 
     
     
         13 . The subfloor component of  claim 1 , wherein the subfloor component is shaped to connect to another subfloor component. 
     
     
         14 . The subfloor component of  claim 13 , wherein the hardboard layer comprises a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component. 
     
     
         15 . The subfloor component of  claim 1 , wherein the pedestals are generally uniformly distributed across the first surface of the panel. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising:
 providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel;   placing a moisture-resistant film into the mold adjacent to the pedestal-forming structures;   placing heat-expandable beads into the mold against the moisture-resistant film opposite the pedestal-forming structures;   applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel, wherein the expansion of the heat-expandable beads causes both the film and the expanding beads to enter into and conform to the pedestal-forming structures thereby to form the pedestals of the panel with the moisture-resistant film fused thereto;   removing the panel with the fused moisture-resistant film from the mold; and   attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein heat-expandable beads are expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the moisture-resistant film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein attaching the hardboard layer comprises applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the hardboard layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of: OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.   
     
     
         22 . A method of manufacturing a subfloor component, comprising:
 providing a mold configured to form an insulating foam panel, the mold including pedestal-forming structures for forming the panel to have, in cross-section, a plurality of pedestals with walls that extend into the panel from a first face of the panel toward a second opposing face of the panel;   placing heat-expandable beads into the mold;   applying heat to the mold to expand the heat-expandable beads to form the panel with the pedestals;   placing a moisture-resistant film adjacent to the pedestals;   applying heat to fuse the film to at least the pedestals; and   attaching a hardboard layer to the second face of the panel.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the placing a moisture-resistant film adjacent to the pedestals comprises placing the moisture-resistant film within the mold adjacent to the pedestals, and the applying heat to fuse the film to at least the pedestals comprises applying heat to the mold to fuse the film to at least the pedestals. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein heat-expandable beads are expandable polystyrene (EPS) beads. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the moisture-resistant film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein attaching the hardboard layer comprises applying adhesive to one or both of the hardboard layer and the second face of the panel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the hardboard layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of: OSB (oriented strand board), plywood, fiber cement board, cement board, metal sheeting, and magnesium oxide board. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 shaping the hardboard layer with a tongue/groove configuration for connecting to another hardboard layer of another subfloor component.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 shaping the hardboard layer with at least one groove.   
     
     
         30 . The subfloor component of  claim 1 , wherein the hardboard layer includes a groove that is open along a side-facing surface of the hardboard layer, further comprising:
 a connector dimensioned to insert into the groove.   
     
     
         31 . The subfloor component of  claim 30 , wherein the connector comprises:
 a central body; and   wings extending outwards from the central body, wherein each wing is dimensioned to be inserted into a respective groove in a hardboard layer of a subfloor component.   
     
     
         32 . The subfloor component of  claim 31 , wherein each wing is dimensioned to frictionally engage the interior of a respective groove. 
     
     
         33 . The subfloor component of  claim 32 , wherein barbs extend from each wing for frictionally engaging the interior of a respective groove.