Building Board with Acoustical Foam

Abstract

Disclosed is a building board construction that provides enhanced acoustical properties. In one possible embodiment, the board is a gypsum board with opposing facing sheets and an intermediate set gypsum core. An opened celled polymeric sheet is formed within the gypsum core and gives the resulting board enhanced sound absorption. In an alternative embodiment, individual pieces of polymeric foam are used in stead of the polymeric sheet. Also disclosed are various manufacturing methods whereby boards with enhanced acoustical properties can be formed in an continuous process. The various components of the present disclosure, and the manner in which they interrelate, are described in greater detail hereinafter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite, multi-layered building panel with enhanced acoustical properties, the panel comprising:
 coplanar opposed upper and lower mats formed from non-woven, randomly aligned inorganic fibers, the mats being porous and having interior and exterior faces;   upper and lower layers of a set slurry coating the upper and lower mats, the upper and lower layers penetrating the upper and lower mats, whereby the exterior surface of each mat is substantially covered by set slurry;   a core layer of set gypsum having a thickness extending between the upper and lower layers, the core slurry layer having a density that is less than the density of the upper and lower slurry layers;   a polymer sheet have a thickness, the polymer sheet positioned within but not penetrated by the core slurry layer, the sheet being formed from a melamine resin and containing a plurality of opened cells throughout its thickness, the polymer sheet having sound-absorbing characteristics, a series of apertures formed through the thickness of the polymer sheet to allow the polymer sheet to bond to the core layer, the thickness of the core layer being larger than the thickness of the polymer sheet.   
     
     
         2 . A composite, multi-layered building panel with enhanced acoustical properties, the panel comprising:
 coplanar opposed upper and lower paper sheets, the sheets having interior and exterior faces;   a core layer of set gypsum having a thickness extending between the upper and lower paper sheets;   a polymer sheet have a thickness, the polymer sheet positioned within but not penetrated by the core slurry layer, the sheet containing a plurality of opened cells throughout its thickness.   
     
     
         3 . The composite building panel as described in  claim 2  wherein the sheet is formed from a thermoset polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The composite building panel as described in  claim 2  wherein the sheet is formed from a melamine resin. 
     
     
         5 . The composite building panel as described in  claim 2  wherein the opened celled foam enhances the sound-absorbing characteristic of the building panel. 
     
     
         6 . The composite building panel as described in  claim 2  further comprising a series of apertures formed through the thickness of the polymer sheet to allow the polymer sheet to bond to the core layer. 
     
     
         7 . The composite building panel as described in  claim 2  further comprising upper and lower layers of a set slurry coating the upper and lower paper sheets, wherein the upper and lower layers of set slurry have a greater density than the core slurry layer. 
     
     
         8 . A composite, multi-layered building panel with enhanced acoustical properties, the panel comprising:
 coplanar opposed upper and lower mats having interior and exterior faces;   upper and lower layers of a set slurry coating the upper and lower mats;   a core layer of set gypsum having a thickness extending between the upper and lower layers, the core slurry layer having a density that is less than the density of the upper and lower slurry layers;   a plurality of polymer pieces, the polymer pieces distributed within the core slurry layer, each polymer piece containing a plurality of opened cells, the core layer extending around but not penetrating the polymer pieces.   
     
     
         9 . The composite building panel as described in  claim 8  wherein the upper and lower mats are porous mats formed from non-woven, randomly aligned inorganic fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The composite building panel as described in  claim 9  wherein the upper and lower layers of set slurry penetrate the upper and lower mats, whereby the exterior surface of each mat is substantially covered. 
     
     
         11 . The composite building panel as described in  claim 8  wherein the pieces are formed from a melamine resin. 
     
     
         12 . The composite building panel as described in  claim 8  wherein the opened cells of the polymer pieces give the building board sound-absorbing characteristics.