The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 09, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 23, 2002
Robert E. Foster, Enon Valley, PA (US);
Larry R. Parks, Rochester, PA (US);
James R. Lokey, Beaver Falls, PA (US);
John J. Janczura, Beaver Falls, PA (US);
Robert G. Ganse, Lancaster, PA (US);
Barry Buhay, Lancaster, PA (US);
Walter W. Chamberlain, Lancaster, PA (US);
John Felegi, Jr., Lancaster, PA (US);
AWI Licensing Company, Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
An acoustical panel has a fiberboard which includes a fibrous filler and a base binder, and a nodulated overlay disposed on the fiberboard, wherein the overlay includes nodulated wool and an overlay binder and has a substantially smooth surface. In one embodiment of the present invention, the fibrous filler is mineral wool and the base binder is granular starch. In an another embodiment of the present invention, the nodulated wool is nodulated mineral wool and the overlay binder is cooked pearl cornstarch. A method of making the durable acoustical panel in accordance with the present invention is disclosed. Initially, an aqueous slurry comprising a fibrous filler, a base binder, and water is formed. The aqueous slurry is deposited onto a moving foraminous support wire to form an aqueous felt, thereby creating a continuous process. Thereafter, the aqueous felt is de-watered to form a wet felt. The wet felt is coated with an aqueous overlay comprising nodulated wool, overlay binder, and water and has a substantially smooth surface. Finally, the wet felt and aqueous overlay are dried to form the ceiling panel.