Assemblies, devices, systems and methods relating to sound isolation between floors of a building

Abstract

Noise/vibration reduction acoustic isolators including assemblies and systems that improve the IIC Rating within a building by reducing transmission of noise and/or vibration or otherwise improve the acoustic isolation properties between floors of buildings. The acoustic isolators, systems, assemblies, etc., herein are particularly useful for raised access floor (RAF) systems in structures such as residential buildings, office buildings, and institutional buildings such as college and higher education, libraries and government facilities.

1 . A raised access floor (RAF) pedestal, wherein the RAF pedestal comprises a RAF pedestal base plate, a RAF pedestal head and a pedestal body therebetween, and wherein the RAF pedestal further comprises at least one of a first acoustic isolator attached to a bottom surface of the RAF pedestal base plate and a second acoustic isolator attached to an upper surface of the RAF pedestal head, wherein each of the first acoustic isolator and the second acoustic isolator is sized and configured to have a diameter substantially similar to a diameter of the corresponding RAF pedestal base plate or RAF pedestal head, respectively, and is sized and configured to significantly reduce noise and vibration transmission between a ceiling below and operably connected to the raised access floor (RAF) pedestal a floor above and operably connected to the raised access floor (RAF) pedestal. 
     
     
         2 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of  claim 1  wherein the raised access floor (RAF) pedestal further comprises both the first acoustic isolator and the second acoustic isolator. 
     
     
         3 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the RAF pedestal is steel. 
     
     
         4 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator comprise substantially only a same acoustic isolator material. 
     
     
         5 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the first acoustic isolator is comprised of a first acoustic isolator material and the second acoustic isolator is comprised of a second, different acoustic isolator material. 
     
     
         6 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator each comprise more than one acoustic isolator material. 
     
     
         7 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator are each primarily one of plastic or rubber. 
     
     
         8 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator are each vinyl. 
     
     
         9 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the first acoustic isolator and the second acoustic isolator are from about 1/16″ thick to about ½″ thick. 
     
     
         10 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of  claim 9  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator are about ⅛″ thick. 
     
     
         11 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator substantially cover the RAF pedestal head or the RAF pedestal base plate, respectively. 
     
     
         12 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator do not touch a perimeter of the RAF pedestal head or the RAF pedestal base plate, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator, and the RAF pedestal head or the RAF pedestal base plate, respectively, comprise cooperatively located holes for mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
         14 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator cover less than 50% of the RAF pedestal head or the RAF pedestal base plate, respectively. 
     
     
         15 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator have an empty-space shape or an S-shape. 
     
     
         16 . The raised access floor (RAF) pedestal of any one of  claims 1 to 2  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator have an X-shape. 
     
     
         17 . A noise and vibration reduction assembly in a multi-floor building, the assembly comprising a subfloor, a raised access floor (RAF) and an array of RAF pedestals therebetween, the RAF pedestals comprising a RAF pedestal base plate, a RAF pedestal head and a pedestal body therebetween, and wherein the assembly further comprises at least one of a first acoustic isolator disposed between the subfloor and a bottom surface of the RAF pedestal base plate or a second acoustic isolator disposed between an upper surface of the RAF pedestal head and a raised access floor (RAF) panel of the raised access floor (RAF). 
     
     
         18 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 17  further comprising both the first acoustic isolator and the second acoustic isolator. 
     
     
         19 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator are the same material. 
     
     
         20 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly  claim 18  wherein the wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator are different materials. 
     
     
         21 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator are each primarily one of plastic or rubber. 
     
     
         22 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator are each vinyl. 
     
     
         23 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the first acoustic isolator and the second acoustic isolator are from about 1/16″ thick to about ½″ thick. 
     
     
         24 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator are about ⅛″ thick. 
     
     
         25 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator substantially cover the RAF pedestal head or the RAF pedestal base plate, respectively. 
     
     
         26 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator do not touch a perimeter of the RAF pedestal head or the RAF pedestal base plate, respectively. 
     
     
         27 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator, and the RAF pedestal head or the RAF pedestal base plate, respectively, comprise cooperatively located holes for mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
         28 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator, and the RAF pedestal head or the RAF pedestal base plate, respectively, comprise cooperatively located holes for mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
         29 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator cover less than 50% of the RAF pedestal head or the RAF pedestal base plate, respectively. 
     
     
         30 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator have an empty-space shape or an S-shape. 
     
     
         31 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the first acoustic isolator and second acoustic isolator have an X-shape. 
     
     
         32 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of wherein at least one of the first acoustic isolator directly contacts the subfloor or the second acoustic isolator directly contacts the raised access floor (RAF) panel. 
     
     
         33 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 32  wherein the first acoustic isolator directly contacts the subfloor and the second acoustic isolator directly contacts the raised access floor (RAF) panel. 
     
     
         34 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein at least two occupied levels of the multi-floor building do not have therebetween an acoustic, substantially floor-wide mat made of a noise and vibration reduction isolation material. 
     
     
         35 . The noise and vibration reduction assembly of  claim 18  wherein the multi-floor building comprises mass timber slabs between a lower first floor and a higher second floor of the multi-floor building. 
     
     
         36 . A noise and vibration reduction acoustic isolator for at least one of a bottom surface of a raised access floor (RAF) pedestal base plate or an upper surface of a raised access floor (RAF) pedestal, the noise and vibration reduction acoustic isolator having a thin cruciform shape between about 1/16′ and ¼″ thick and about 3″ to 5″ in diameter, and consisting essentially of ribbed vinyl. 
     
     
         37 . A method comprising constructing a multi-floor building wherein the construction comprises installing an array of raised access floor (RAF) pedestals of any one of  claims 1 to 2  between adjacent subfloor and raised access floor (RAF) of the multi-floor building. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the adjacent subfloor and raised access floor (RAF) of the multi-floor building separate occupied spaces within the multi-floor building. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37  wherein the method further comprises not installing an acoustic, substantially floor-wide mat made of a noise and vibration reduction isolation material between the adjacent subfloor and the raised access floor (RAF) of the multi-floor building.