The present invention relates to a building stud for forming a framework for mounting wall panels, a wall structure comprising such a building stud and a method for forming a wall structure.
When building walls, a framework with studs is built. Horizontally, a top plate is mounted on the ceiling and on the floor a bottom plate. Vertical studs are then placed between these, usually with a mutual spacing of 450-600 mm. When the framework is mounted, wall panels are nailed or screwed to the framework. Thus, the distance between the studs is determined by the width of the wall panels to be fixed to the studs. Common materials in wall panels are gypsum, MDF (Medium Density Fibre), OSB (Orientated Strand Board), shavings and wood chips. Magnesium oxide, calcium silicate, fibre cement and fibre gypsum boards as well as various types of composite boards also exist.
When constructing walls in general and interior walls in particular, studs, made from steel or wood, are manly used today. Wooden studs are usually homogeneous and square and work great for screwing or nailing wall panels. However, wooden studs are relatively heavy and tend to propeller during storage.
Steel studs are usually used in wall structures that are built using so-called lightweight framing construction technique. Typically, such a wall structure comprises a framework of metal profile studs forming a support or frame which is then covered with sheet-shaped building boards. The framework includes horizontal studs that form top plates and bottom plates, which studs usually have a U-shaped cross section. Standing studs are mounted in the top and bottom plates with a predetermined mutual distance, on which plates and studs the building boards are then mounted.
Steel studs are usually made from steel sheets which are cut and bent to obtain a desired profile. Typically, a steel stud comprises two parallel flange members which are joined by a transverse web member extending substantially perpendicular to the flange members. The steel stud can thus obtain a substantially C-shaped cross-section. Steel studs are often made from steel sheets having a relatively small thickness. For example, it is common for steel studs to be made of steel sheets having a thickness within the range of 0.4-0.6 mm. The thin material thickness is important from a cost perspective, but also has great significance for the sound transmission in the wall. Thin steel provides better reduction of sound propagating through the wall, as a thin web portion provides less sound transmission between the flange portions than a thick web portion. Another advantage related to steel studs is that they can be “boxed” during transport and storage, i.e. placed in each other. In this way, the volume that the steel studs take up can be reduced, which is important from a storage perspective and considering costly and environmentally harmful transports. It is also of great importance in workplaces, where there is often a lack of storage space.
When mounting wall panels in a framework, a common mounting distance between nails or screws is, at the edge portions of the wall panels, about 200 mm cc distance and, in the middle of the panels, about 300 mm cc distance. The predominant mounting method for wood framing is screwing, although this is more time-consuming and entails greater load on the installer than nailing. One reason for this is that when nailing in wooden rails, there is a risk that the nails are “worked out” by the shape change that occurs in wood when the humidity in the air changes. Nails that creep out in this way can then result in visible defects on the surfaces of the finished walls and can also be seen through paint or wallpaper.
In a framework consisting of steel studs, nailing is not possible as the steel is too thin for nails to attach in an intended way. When thin-plated studs are used, it can also be problematic to attach hard wall panels to the framework by screwing. In the case of hard plasterboard, plywood and OSB, for example, the resistance that arises when the screw’s skull is to be mechanically recessed in the wall panel may become so large that the interaction between the screw and the steel stud deforms the steel stud rather than pushing the screw into the stud. The screw thread then loses its traction in the steel stud.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new type of building stud, as well as a related method, which can help to solve this problem, at least partially.
One aspect of the invention relates to a building stud for forming a framework for mounting wall panels, which building stud comprises a first and a second flange portion and a web portion interconnecting the flange portions. Each flange portion comprises a planar, elongated wood fibre member which may have a substantially rectangular cross section, and the web portion comprises a polymer based and/or cellulose fibre based sheet member including a first and a second rectilinear line of weakness, which lines of weakness are parallel and along which the sheet member is foldable to enable the building stud to be brought from a retracted storage position to an expanded mounting position.
For example, respective wood fibre member may be a panel or board of homogeneous wood or of chipboard or wood fibre laminate.
In principle, the sheet member may contain any polymer and/or cellulose fiber material, or combinations thereof, as long as the sheet member offers sufficient strength in the expanded mounting position. The sheet member may, for example, comprise a thermo- or thermoset sheet, for example a sheet made of ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene monomer) or polypropylene (PP). It may be preferred, for example, if the sheet member comprises an ABS sheet with a thickness within the range 1.5-3.0 mm in which parallel embossments in the sheet material form said folding lines or lines of weakness.
Alternatively, the sheet member may comprise a carton or cardboard element, i.e. a rigid paper product the manufacture of which comprises the step of dewatering a suspension of cellulosic fibers and optionally also man-made fibers. The cardboard element may, for example, comprise corrugated board, i.e. a corrugated cardboard, so-called fluting, having paper, so-called liner glued on both sides. The basis weight of the cardboard material may preferably exceed 170 grams per square meter (paperboard) and may more preferably exceed 400 grams per square meter (cardboard). In a cardboard element, said lines of weakness can preferably be realized by crease lines, i.e. embossments in the cardboard material which cause localized delamination of the layers of the cardboard material and thereby create a hinge function.
According to yet another alternative, the sheet member may comprise a fibre board, for example a MDF (medium density fibre board) or masonite.
The sheet member may comprise different materials which may be laminated in layers. For example, the lines of weakness can be formed by a flexible layer or cloth connecting rigid segments of the sheet member. For example, fibreboard bonded to a nonwoven fabric may form a sheet member in a building stud according to the invention, where adjacent fibreboards bonded to the nonwoven fabric are foldably arranged along parallel folding lines to enable the building stud to be brought from the retracted storage position to the expanded mounting position. Thus, in this embodiment, the lines of weakness are the fold lines formed by the nonwoven fabric.
The sheet member may comprise a first attachment portion which is adjoined and attached to the first flange portion, a second attachment portion which is adjoined and attached to the second flange portion, and a web portion disposed between the attachment portions, said first line of weakness forming a boundary between said first attachment portion and said web portion, and which second line of weakness forms a boundary between the second attachment portion and the web portion. The joint between the attachment portions and the respective web portion may be a nail joint, a screw joint, a glue joint or a combination thereof.
Alternatively, or as a complement, a groove may be milled in the respective flange portion, in which groove a free edge of the attachment portion may be attached.
The interaction between the attachment portions and the flange portions helps to reduce shape-changes of the wood fibre members in the flange portions, e.g. caused by variations in humidity. In other words, the attachment portions help eliminate or at least reduce problems that may occur when the wood fibre members settle.
In the storage position, the flange portions may be arranged in a common plane and in the mounting position the flange portions may be arranged in two parallel planes.
In the storage position, the sheet member may have a rectangular shape and in the mounting position a U-shaped cross section.
The lines of weakness may be formed by embossing, i.e. by deforming the sheet member continuously or discontinuously along the lines of weakness. Alternatively, or as a complement, the lines of weakness may be formed by machining recesses along the lines of weakness. The lines of weakness may also, alternatively or as a supplement, be formed by partially through-cutting the sheet member’s goods continuously or discontinuously along the lines of weakness.
Each wood fibre member may have a substantially rectangular cross section and its cross-sectional dimensions may be customized to achieve desired performance. For example, when installing plywood and gypsum wall panels, the respective cross-sectional dimensions of the wood fibre members may be 40 mm wide and 15 mm thick. This width provides ample space for joining two panel edges on the same stud, while at the same time providing good conditions for securely screwing or nailing the wall panels. In addition, this construction solves the problem of movements in the wood material due to moisture and the influence on the position of the nail this normally brings in homogeneous wooden stud, since no wood is at the tip of the nail. The movement of the wood material cannot force the nail out of its attachment, but only produce varied “clamping” of its body. Of course, this assumes that the nails have a length that exceeds the total thickness of the mounted wall panel and the wood fibre member.
The web portion may comprise one or more of said sheet members. This or these sheet members may be elongated.
With the building stud according to the invention good sound reduction is obtained because the web member of the web portion connecting the flange portions can be formed using a thin sheet. Homogeneous wooden studs have very poor noise reduction as they are compact and provide a good transmission path for the sound.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a wall structure comprising a building stud as described above.
Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method of forming a wall structure comprising a plurality of elongated building studs, each comprising a first and a second flange portion and a web portion interconnecting the flange portions, each flange portion comprising a flat elongated wood fibre member, and wherein the web portion comprises a polymer based and/or cellulose fibre based sheet member displaying a first and a second rectilinear line of weakness, which lines of weakness are parallel. The method comprises the steps of:
The problem with the space-demanding form is solved by the stud permitting storage and transport in the retracted storage position. In the storage position, the flange portions can be arranged in a common plane and the web portion, which in the storage position can be planar, can be arranged lying on the flange portions.
Any length adjustment of the building stud prior to mounting can advantageously be carried out when the building stud is in the storage position.
The studs can thus easily be expanded by the installer at the time of installation. The shape of the studs in the expanded position is determined by where the sheet member is attached to the wood fibre members and where the lines of weakness are positioned. The stud’s profile in the expanded position can be H-shaped, U-shaped or Z-shaped, as desired and depending on area of use.
Said sheet member may be elongated.
The web portion may comprise only one sheet member extending along the stud.
The web portion may comprise a plurality of sheet members arranged so that the first lines of weakness are aligned along a common first rectilinear line and the second lines of weakness are aligned along a common second rectilinear line, which second rectilinear line is parallel to the first rectilinear line.
In the following, embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
The web portion 16 comprises an elongated sheet member 22 having a rectangular shape and a length corresponding to the length of wood fibre member 18, 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the width of the sheet member 22 is slightly less than the combined width of the wood fibre members 16, 18. In the embodiment shown, the sheet member 22 is formed from an ABS sheet having a thickness of approximately 2.5 mm.
The sheet member 22 has a first line of weakness 24 and a second line of weakness 26 which are rectilinear and parallel and along which the sheet member 22 is foldable. The sheet member 22 is plastically deformable along the lines of weakness 24, 26 to enable folding of the sheet member 22 along the same. In the illustrated embodiment, the lines of weakness 24, 26 are made up by discontinuous crease lines formed in the sheet member 22 along the lines of weakness 24, 26. However, the lines of weakness 24, 26 may be formed in other ways, for example by through-going recesses or slits cut along the lines of weakness 24, 26. Also, alternatively or as a complement, the lines of weakness 24, 26 may be formed by partially cutting the material of the sheet member 22 along the lines of weakness, either continuously or discontinuously along the lines of weakness 24, 26.
The sheet member 22 comprises a first attachment portion 28 which abuts and is attached to the first flange portion 12, a second attachment portion 30 which abuts and is attached to the second flange portion 14, and a web member 32 which is disposed between the attachment portions 28, 30. The first line of weakness 24 forms a boundary between the first attachment portion 28 and the web member 32, and the second line of weakness 26 forms a boundary between the second attachment portion 30 and the web member 32.
In the illustrated embodiment, the attachment portions 28, 30 are connected to their respective flange portions 12, 14 by nails 34 forming a nail joint. The connection between the attachment portions 28, 30 and the flange portions 12, 14 may alternatively be a screw joint, a glue joint or a combination of a nail, screw or adhesive joint. Alternatively, or as a complement, a groove (not shown) can be milled in the respective flange portion, into which groove the free edge of the attachment portion can be attached. However, in such an embodiment, the free edge must be folded 90 degrees to be inserted into the groove.
When an installer is to mount the building stud 10 in a wall structure, he brings the building stud 10 from the retracted storage position shown in
When the building stud 10 has been brought to the mounting position, the installer can arrange the building stud in a wall structure 11, as illustrated in
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
In
In the embodiment shown, the sheet member 22d has a thickness of about 2.5 mm. However, it will be appreciated that the thickness of the sheet member 22d can be adjusted to the desired strength of the building stud in the mounting position. Typically, the thickness of the sheet member 22d may be within the range of 1-5 mm, depending on the material of the sheet member.
The sheet member 22d has a first line of weakness 24d and a second line of weakness 26d which are rectilinear and parallel, and along which the sheet member 22d is foldable to allow bringing the building stud from the storage position to the mounting position, as described above. In the illustrated embodiment, the lines of weakness 24d, 26d comprise rectilinear impressions 40 extending along each line of weakness 24d, 26d. The impressions 40 are about 20 mm long and are spaced about 5 mm apart. Alternatively, the lines of weakness 24d, 26d may comprise continuous or discontinuous recesses or incisions,
The sheet member 22d comprises a first attachment portion 28d intended to abut and attach to a first flange portion of the building stud, and a second attachment portion 30d intended to abut and attach to a second flange portion of the building stud as described above. Between them, the attachment portions 28d, 30d define web member 32d, which is intended to form a flange of the building stud in the mounting position. Thus, the first line of weakness 24d forms a boundary between the first attachment portion 28d and the web member 32d, and the second line of weakness 26d forms a boundary between the second attachment portion 30d and the web member 32d.
In the illustrated embodiment, the lines of weakness 24d, 26d are arranged approximately 20 mm from the respective longitudinal edge 38. However, it will be appreciated that the area of the attachment portions 28d, 30d can be adjusted by placing the lines of weakness 24d, 26d further away or closer to the longitudinal edges 38. For example, said area can be adapted to the type of joints used between the attachment portions 28d, 30d and the flange portions.
The sheet member 22d may comprise recesses 42 for pipe or cable penetrations. The sheet member 22d may alternatively, or as a complement, comprise attenuation lines 44 for forming pipe or cable penetrations.
It will be appreciated that by changing the dimensions of the flange and web members and placing the lines of weakness in different positions, a variety of stud configurations can be obtained.
In the embodiments described above, the respective web portion comprises a sheet member extending along the stud. However, in alternative embodiments, the web portion may comprise a plurality of sheet members spaced apart along the stud, for example as shown in
In the embodiment shown in
The building stud 10h comprises a web portion 16h which comprises a sheet member 22h. The sheet member 22h in this embodiment comprises three sheet member segments 28h, 30h, 32h arranged edge to edge and a ductile fabric 50, which is attached to the sheet member segments 28h-32h and connects them. In the mounting position (see
The sheet member segment 28h and the portion of the fabric 50 attached thereto abut and are attached to the first flange portion 12h. The sheet member segment 28h thus forms a first fastening portion of the sheet member 22h. The sheet member segment 30h and the portion of the fabric 50 attached thereto abut and are attached to the second flange portion 14h. The sheet member segment 30h thus forms a second attachment portion of the sheet member 22h. The intermediate sheet member segment 32h and the portion of the fabric 50 attached thereto are not attached to the flange portions 12h, 14h.
Along the edges that the sheet member segments 28h, 30h and 32h abut against each other, the sheet member segments 28h, 30h and 32h have an edge 52 bevelled to approximately 45 degrees which faces away from the fabric 50. The adjacent sheet member segments 28h, 30h, 32h, in that they are connected to the fabric 50, are foldably arranged together along parallel fold lines 24h, 26h. This, together with the fact that the sheet member segments 28h, 30h, 32h have bevelled edges 52, enables the sheet member 22h to be brought from a position which is substantially flat in the storage position, where the sheet member segments 28h, 30h and 32h are arranged in a common plane, as shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2030178-4 | Jun 2020 | SE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/SE2021/050502 | 5/30/2021 | WO |