Modular Building Elements Staggered Joist Sound Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional building methods using concrete modular elements are inefficient in terms of speed, material usage, and environmental impact, and do not effectively address sound transmission between building components.

Innovation Solution

The use of modular building elements made from wood, wood-derived products, metals, or plastics, featuring a staggered arrangement of ceiling and floor joists with columns or wall elements to transfer forces and reduce sound transmission, allowing for a more compact and environmentally friendly design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If concrete modular elements are used for construction, then structural strength is ensured, but construction speed is reduced and environmental footprint increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconstruction speedVSAvoidenvironmental footprint
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The building is divided into separate modular elements (floors, walls, roofs) that can be manufactured independently and assembled quickly on-site. This segmentation enables parallel production of multiple modules, significantly increasing construction speed while reducing on-site construction time and environmental impact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite construction approaches, combining different materials (steel, wood, concrete panels) within modular elements to achieve optimal strength-to-weight ratios. This allows for lighter modules that are faster to assemble and transport, thereby improving construction speed and reducing environmental footprint compared to traditional concrete construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional concrete modular elements are used, then structural stability is achieved, but sound transmission between building components is not effectively reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound transmissionVSAvoidstructural stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces intermediate elements such as sound insulation panels, damping layers, and isolation joints between modular components. These intermediary elements effectively block and absorb sound transmission while maintaining the structural integrity and stability of the overall building assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Multi-layer composite wall and floor assemblies are used, combining structurally sound materials (steel, concrete panels) with sound-insulating materials (mineral wool, acoustic boards). This composite approach achieves both structural stability and effective sound transmission reduction simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Shape

If modular building elements are designed with staggered joist arrangement, then building compactness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebuilding compactnessVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The staggered joist arrangement is implemented as a standardized modular design pattern that segments the floor and ceiling structures into repeatable units. This segmentation, while creating a more compact building footprint, is achieved through standardized manufacturing processes that reduce the actual manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The complex staggered joist configurations are pre-assembled and pre-positioned during off-site manufacturing before the modules are transported and installed on-site. This preliminary action transfers the manufacturing complexity to the controlled factory environment, where it can be more efficiently managed, while the on-site assembly remains simple and quick.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4461896A1Modular building elements
Publication Date: 2024.11.13 ZJA BV
  • EP4461896A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4461896A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4461896A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A modular building (100) formed by at least a bottom modular building element (30, 32, 33, 34) and a top modular building element ('30, `32, `33, `34), wherein: - the top building element is positioned above the bottom building element; - the bottom building element comprises a floor (40), a ceiling (42) with one or more ceiling joists (1) connected to at least one transverse ceiling beam (3, 28), and one or more columns (5) coupling the floor and the ceiling; - the top building element comprises a floor with one or more floor joists (7, 9) connected to at least one transverse floor beam (6), a ceiling, and one or more columns (5) coupling the floor and the ceiling; and - the one or more ceiling joists of the bottom building element and the one or more floor joists of the top building element are positioned substantially parallel and at least partially side-by-side.