Insulating sealing element for head-of-wall joints

Abstract

A sealing element for sealing a gap between a support structure and a track, where the track includes a web and legs that extend vertically from the web. An embodiment of the sealing element has an insulating strip that includes an insulating material strip and a cover layer.

Description

[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 972,956, filed Mar. 31, 2014, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention deals generally with the field of acoustical or firestopping insulation for head-of-wall joints, including, possibly, intumescent components.[0003]In the building construction trade, a head-of-wall joint / gap (also sometimes referred to as a top-of-wall joint / gap) refers to the linear junction or interface existing between a top section of a framing or wallboard wall assembly and the ceiling, where the ceiling may be a next-level floor or corrugated / fluted pan roof deck, for example. A head-of-wall assembly is comprised of and defined by the following elements of overhead structure, top of wall framing deflection system, fill, void, or cavity materials protecting any joints. Corrugated / fluted deck includes either floor or roof pan deck asse...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0073]The insulating material strips will preferably include a fire-resistant material and/or an acoustically insulating material. The insulating material strips may be made from the same or different material. A compressible or deformable material strip portion is preferably positioned on the top of the header track or other head-of-wall structure to provide enhanced smoke, air and sound seal at the head-of-wall. A pressure-resistant material strip portion is preferably positioned on a side flange of the header track or side surface of the other head-of-wall structure so that the pressure-resistant portion is positioned between the header track, especially the leg, or other head-of-wall structure and the wallboard. Preferably the two insulating material strips that are to be positioned on the web of the track are arranged near the edges of the track. Depending on the material used for the cover layer, for a fire-proof insulation it is sufficient that the insulating material of the side portions are provided with fire-resistant properties, which do not include expansion of the insulating material, especially for cover layers made of glass fibers. These materials provide sufficient fire resistance so that the insulating material need not necessarily be intumescent. Improved fire-resistance can be achieved by the insulating material being provided with intumescent properties and that the portions of the insulating material strip positioned on top of the track are provided with sound insulating properties. In case the insulating material will expand when the temperature raises, the insulating material cover layers need not be made of a fire-resistant material. To enhance the fire-proof properties all insulating material strips are provided with intumescent materials. To even better enhance the fire-proof properties all insulating ma

Problems solved by technology

Head-of-wall joints often present a serious challenge in terms of reducing or preventing the spread of smoke and fire during a building fire.

So-called head-of-wall joints pose a number of challenges for the fireproofing industry.

Although the distance between the horizontally extending tracks at the top of the wall is often fixed in relationship to the ceiling, the gypsum wallboards are subject to expansion and contraction due to motion of other building components, ground settling, or other causes.

All of these approaches, however, are relatively labor intensive and thus expensive.

Thus, and although construction joints and gaps are generally sealed in some manner (e.g., mineral wool and/or elastomeric coatings; see also, U.S. Patent Application No. 2006/0137293 to Klein), there are relatively few products and methods available that effectively and efficiently seal head-of-wall construction joints and gaps to th

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