Impact and/or sound deadening hydronic sub-flooring panel and related system and method

Abstract

A sub-flooring panel with improved impact and/or sound deadening (ISD) properties that is adapted to adjoin other sub-flooring panels to form a sub-flooring panel assembly, includes a base body having an upper surface formed with a groove for receiving a heating/cooling element, such as hydronic piping. A sub-flooring system with significantly improved ISD properties includes the panel assembly and an underlayment assembly which comprises a plurality of stabilizing supports, each support being adjustable in height, to support at least a generally rigid board and a fiberboard on which finishing flooring or laminate may be installed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An underlayment assembly, comprising:
 one or more supports, each support having a tubular member configured to contain a particulate substance, and a piston configured to be partially inserted in the tubular member and to be supported on a surface of the particulate substance; and   a generally rigid board positioned on the one or more supports,   wherein each support has an adjustable height for supporting the generally rigid board in a predetermined manner.   
     
     
         2 . The underlayment assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate substance includes sand. 
     
     
         3 . The underlayment assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a height of each piston relative to its respective tubular member is adjustable by changing an amount of its respective particulate substance held in its respective tubular member. 
     
     
         4 . The underlayment assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a second piston having a different height. 
     
     
         5 . The underlayment assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the piston comprises at least one ISD pad. 
     
     
         6 . The underlayment assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the piston has a channel. 
     
     
         7 . A sub-flooring panel for use with a heating element comprising:
 a first solid base body having a first recessed formation adapted to receive the heating element, the first recessed formation having:
 a bottom portion having a semi-circular cross-section with a first diameter; and opposing step formations, each step formation having a rise and a run, the rises of the opposing step formations separated by a second distance greater than the first diameter; 
   a cap member having flat side portions, each flat side portion supported on a respective run of the opposing step formations, the cap member configured to cover the heating element, the cap member having a second recessed formation adapted to receive a portion of the heating element; and   at least one thermally-conductive liner configured for contact with both the heating element and the first solid base body, the liner having at least a first portion and a second portion, the first portion positioned between the heating element and the second recessed formation of the cap member, the first portion of the liner generally conforming to the second recessed formation of the cap member, the second portion of the liner positioned between each of the flat side portion and its respective opposite step formation,   wherein an upper portion of the first recessed formation configured to receive the cap member has a greater width and the cap member has a smaller width configured to provide a lateral space gap.   
     
     
         8 . The panel of  claim 7 , wherein the first base body has a first side surface has a groove and a second side surface has a tongue. 
     
     
         9 . The panel of  claim 8 , wherein the first side has at least one step stop formation. 
     
     
         10 . The panel of  claim 8 , wherein the second side has at least one step stop formation. 
     
     
         11 . The panel of  claim 8 , wherein the groove is beveled. 
     
     
         12 . The panel of  claim 8 , wherein the tongue is beveled.