# US 8,769,912 B2 · Method of forming a wood board incorporating embedded sound attenuating elements and stiffening elements > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,769,912 B2 - Document ID: US8769912B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/065,860 - Filed: 2011-03-31 - Published: 2011-07-28 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2008-07-31 - Applicants: Thomas Spencer Stanhope - Inventors: Thomas Spencer Stanhope - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8769912B2 ## CPC - E04B 1/84: Sound-absorbing elements - E04B 5/02: Load-carrying floor structures formed substantially of prefabricated units (E04B5/43 - E04B5/48 take precedence) - E04B 5/12: with wooden beams (E04B5/14 takes precedence) - E04F 15/02: Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements (of webs E04F15/16) - E04F 2201/025: with tongue and grooves alternating transversally in the direction of the thickness of the panel, e.g. multiple tongue and grooves oriented parallel to each other - E04F 2203/04: comprising a plurality of internal elongated cavities arranged in substantially parallel rows - Y10T 29/49: Method of mechanical manufacture - 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}) - E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A board comprised of a wood structure having a first surface, a second surface, a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge and opposing ends. Sound attenuating elements embedded within the wood structure and stiffening elements positioned within the wood structure to coincide with the location of floor joist to which the board will be secured. The boards further forming a ceiling/floor structure by laying a single set of the boards adjacent to each other and securing them to the floor joists. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of fabricating a board, comprising the steps of: providing a first wood layer, having a first upper wood surface, a second lower wood surface, a first wood lateral edge, a second wood lateral edge opposite the first lateral edge, and opposing ends, said first wood layer having a length and a width; milling said first wood layer from said first wood lateral edge or said second wood lateral edge towards said second wood lateral edge or said first wood lateral edge, respectively, forming a plurality of hollow regions spaced from one another along the length, each of said plurality of hollow regions being milled between said first upper wood surface and said second lower wood surface of said first wood layer, each of said plurality of hollow regions formed along the length of said first wood layer and extending generally the width of said first wood layer or the whole width of said first wood layer; embedding a sound attenuating element within and filling each of said plurality of hollow regions, said sound attenuating element having a first upper side and a second lower side, said first upper side covered completely by said first upper wood surface and said second lower side covered completely by said second lower wood surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said embedding step includes said sound attenuating element being a solid sound attenuating material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said milling step involves creating transverse stiffening elements extending between said first wood lateral edge and said second wood lateral edge, wherein said transverse stiffening elements are spaced along the length of said first wood layer at equal distances. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising embedding lateral stiffening elements along at least one from the group including said first wood lateral edge and said second wood lateral edge. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising shaping said board to have a tongue on said first wood lateral edge and a groove on said second wood lateral edge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising shaping said board to have a chamfer on said first wood lateral edge and second wood lateral edge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said embedding step includes filling each said hollow region with sound attenuating foam. ### Claim 8 A method of fabricating a board, comprising the steps of: a) providing a piece of wood formed from softwood directly bonded to hardwood, said piece of wood having a softwood side with a first wood surface, a hardwood side with a second wood surface, a first wood lateral edge, a second wood lateral edge and opposite wood ends; b) milling said wood layer from at least one from the group including said first wood lateral edge and said second wood lateral edge to create a plurality of hollow regions therein, each hollow region having a first hollow surface and a second hollow surface, all first hollow surfaces of said hollow regions covered completely by said softwood, all second hollow surfaces of said hollow regions covered completely by said hardwood, said hollow regions separated by transverse stiffening elements extending between said first wood lateral edge and said second wood lateral edge; and c) embedding in each said hollow region a sound attenuating element that has a first side and second side, said first side covered completely by said first wood surface and said second side completely covered by said second wood surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said embedding step includes filling each said hollow region with sound attenuating foam. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising shaping said board to have a chamfer on said first wood lateral edge and said second wood lateral edge. ### Claim 11 A method of fabricating a board, comprising the steps of: a) providing a first wood layer bonded to a second wood layer, said bonded wood layers having a hardwood side, a softwood side, a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge and opposing ends; b) milling said bonded wood layers from at least one from the group including said first lateral edge and said second lateral edge, wherein said milling creates a plurality of hollow regions within said bonded wood layers, each hollow region having a first hollow surface and a second hollow surface, all first hollow surfaces of said hollow regions covered completely by said hardwood side, all second hollow surfaces of said hollow regions covered completely by said softwood side; c) embedding in each said hollow region a sound attenuating element that has a first side and second side, said first side covered completely by said hardwood side and said second side covered completely by said softwood side; d) shaping said board to have a tongue on said first lateral edge and a groove on said second lateral edge; and e) shaping said board to have a chamfer on said first and second lateral edges. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said providing step further includes said first wood layer directly bonded to said second wood layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said milling step creates a plurality of transverse stiffening elements extending between said first lateral edge and said second lateral edge. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said embedding step includes filling each said hollow region with sound attenuating foam.