# US 2023/0265652 A1 · Acoustical building panel, monolithic surface covering system incorporating an acoustical building panel, and methods of forming and installing the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0265652 A1 - Document ID: US20230265652A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/140,430 - Filed: 2023-04-27 - Published: 2023-08-24 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-03 - Assignees: Armstrong World Industries, Inc. - Applicants: Armstrong World Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Eric D KRAGNESS; Alexandra G WALTEMYER; Jason T CAVANAUGH; John E HUGHES; Lori Jo L SHEARER; Bartolo J TORRE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230265652A1 ## CPC - E04C 2/16: of fibres, chips, vegetable stems, or the like - E04B 1/86: slab-shaped - E04B 1/99: Room acoustics, i.e. forms of, or arrangements in, rooms for influencing or directing sound (E04B1/82 takes precedence; acoustics in general G10K11/00; electric signal processing for producing a reverberation or echo sound G10K15/08) - E04C 2/388: {with a frame of other materials, e.g. fibres, plastics} - E04B 2/7457: {with wallboards attached to the outer faces of the posts, parallel to the partition (E04B2/7459 takes precedence)} - E04C: STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS (for bridges E01D; specially designed for insulation or other protection E04B; elements used as building aids E04G; for mining E21; for tunnels E21D; structural elements with broader range of application than for building engineering F16, particularly F16S) - E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001}) ## Abstract An acoustical building panel is disclosed that comprises a fibrous panel comprising: a central portion having a first major surface; a perimeter portion surrounding the central portion; a recess press-formed into the perimeter portion, the recess circumscribing the first major surface and comprising a recess floor surface; a second major surface opposite the first major surface; and side edge surfaces that define a perimeter of the fibrous panel and extend from the second major surface to the recess floor surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An acoustical building panel comprising: a fibrous panel comprising: a central portion having a first major surface; a perimeter portion surrounding the central portion; a recess press-formed into the perimeter portion, the recess circumscribing the first major surface and comprising a recess floor surface; a second major surface opposite the first major surface; and side edge surfaces that define a perimeter of the fibrous panel and extend from the second major surface to the recess floor surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The acoustical building panel according to claim 1 wherein the perimeter portion comprises the side edge surfaces, the perimeter portion having a first average density and the central portion having a second average density that is less than the first average density. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The acoustical building panel according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the perimeter portion of the fibrous panel is in a permanently-compressed state, wherein an upper layer portion of the perimeter portion of the fibrous panel is in the permanently-compressed state and a lower layer portion of the fibrous panel is in a non-compressed state, and wherein the entirety of the central portion is in a non-compressed state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The acoustical building panel according to claim 1 wherein the recess floor surface extends inward from the side edge surfaces and the recess further comprises a recess wall surface extending upward from the recess floor surface to the first major surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The acoustical building panel according to claim 4 wherein the recess wall surface is a concave surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The acoustical building panel according to claim 4 wherein the recess wall surface is a planar surface that is inclined relative to the first major surface and the recess wall surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The acoustical building panel according to claim 4 wherein the recess floor surface, the second major surface, and the first major surface are substantially parallel to one another. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The acoustical building panel according to claim 1 wherein the central portion of the fibrous panel has a first airflow resistance measured from the first major surface to the second major surface and the perimeter portion of the fibrous panel has a second air flow resistance measured from the recess floor surface to the second major surface, the second airflow resistance being greater than the first airflow resistance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The acoustical building panel according to claim 1 wherein the fibrous panel comprises a mineral fiber board. ### Claim 10 An acoustical building panel comprising: a fibrous panel comprising: a central portion having a first major surface; a perimeter portion circumscribing the central portion, the perimeter portion having a recess comprising a recess floor surface; a second major surface opposite the first major surface; and side edge surfaces that define a perimeter of the fibrous panel and extend from the second major surface to the recess floor surface; wherein the perimeter portion comprises the side edge surfaces, the perimeter portion having a first average density and the central portion having a second average density that is less than the first average density. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The acoustical building panel according to claim 10 wherein at least a portion of the perimeter portion of the fibrous panel is in a permanently-compressed state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The acoustical building panel according to claim 11 wherein an upper layer portion of the perimeter portion of the fibrous panel is in the permanently-compressed state and a lower layer portion of the fibrous panel is in a non-compressed state, and wherein the entirety of the central portion is in a non-compressed state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The acoustical building panel according to claim 10 wherein the recess floor surface extends inward from the side edge surfaces and the recess further comprises a recess wall surface extending upward from the recess floor surface to the first major surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The acoustical building panel according to claim 13 wherein the recess wall surface is a concave surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The acoustical building panel according to claim 13 wherein the recess wall surface is a planar surface that is inclined relative to the first major surface and the recess wall surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The acoustical building panel according to claim 10 wherein the central portion of the fibrous panel has a first airflow resistance measured from the first major surface to the second major surface and the perimeter portion of the fibrous panel has a second air flow resistance measured from the recess floor surface to the second major surface, the second airflow resistance being greater than the first airflow resistance. ### Claim 17 An acoustical building panel comprising: a body; and a scrim attached to the body; the acoustical building panel further comprising: a central portion having a first major surface; a perimeter portion circumscribing the central portion; a recess having a recess floor surface, the recess press-formed into at least a portion of the scrim present in the perimeter portion; a second major surface opposite the first major surface; and side edge surfaces that define a perimeter of the acoustical building panel and extend from the second major surface to the recess floor surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The acoustical building panel according to claim 17, wherein the recess is press-formed into a portion of the body present in the perimeter portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The acoustical building panel according to claim 17, wherein the portion of the scrim present in the perimeter portion is in a permanently-compressed state. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The acoustical building panel according to claim 17, wherein the entirety of the central portion is in a non-compressed state.