The invention relates to an environmental noise shielding apparatus, and to a method for shielding an appliance against environmental noise.
Apparatuses for an acoustic shielding of sensitive appliances are known from practical use. So-called acoustic shrouds are used to shield sensitive inspection machines, particularly in the semiconductor industry.
A housing which provides sound attenuation such as this at the same time generally also provides heat isolation. Particularly when an appliance is incorporated in a housing which produces heat losses, significant temperature increases can therefore occur in the interior of the housing. In many cases, a temperature increase such as this is undesirable. Particularly when using a housing to isolate inspection appliances in the semiconductor industry, it is desirable for the interior of the sound protection shroud to be essentially at the same temperature as the external area in order, for example, to ensure that wafers which are introduced into the interior are not subject to temperature fluctuations. In practice, attempts have been made to reduce the heating of such sound protection shrouds by fans.
Fans such as these have the disadvantage that, even if they are fitted in a manner which in particular attenuates sound, an aperture opening is still also created for sound, thus reducing the sound isolation effect of the housing.
In contrast, the invention is based on the object of providing an apparatus for protection of a sensitive appliance against environmental noise, in which the disadvantages mentioned with the prior art are reduced.
One particular object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which improves the sound protection effect.
A further object of the invention is to provide a sound protection apparatus in which the internal temperature can be kept at the same level as the external temperature.
The object of the invention is achieved just by an environmental noise shielding apparatus and by a method for shielding an appliance against environmental sound, as claimed in one of the independent claims.
Preferred embodiments and developments of the invention can be found in the respective dependent claims.
According to the invention, an environmental noise shielding apparatus is provided which has a housing which defines an area for holding an isolating appliance.
The expression an environmental noise shielding apparatus means an apparatus in which an appliance to be isolated can be arranged, and in which the noise volume is reduced by the housing of the apparatus, that is to say the sound level in the area for holding an appliance to be isolated is lower than in the surrounding area.
According to the invention, at least one cooling element is arranged in that area. A cooling element is any apparatus by means of which the area for holding the appliance to be isolated can be cooled.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the cooling element is coupled to at least one supply device, which is arranged outside the appliance. The supply device is preferably essentially decoupled from the housing, that is to say vibration of the supply device is not transmitted to the housing of the appliance to be isolated.
By way of example, compressor cooling elements, Peltier elements or cooling meander circuits can be used for cooling purposes, which are fitted to one or more points on the inner wall of the housing, or may be parts of the walls or of the lids.
The choice of the cooling element is in this case governed primarily by the requirements for the cooling power. Since the heat losses, particularly from inspection appliances in the semiconductor industry, are often quite low, Peltier elements or cooling meander circuits in which the heat is dissipated via a fluid, in particular water, are sufficient for many applications. A coolant compressor can also be used for applications in which the cooling power is greater.
Flexible lines, such as those provided for one particular embodiment of the invention, in this case ensure that vibration of the supply device, in particular vibration of a cooling compressor, is not passed on, or is passed on only to a minor extent, to the housing of the environmental noise shielding apparatus.
The cooling element in the housing of the environmental noise shielding apparatus is preferably designed such that it produces a sound level of less than 30 dB, preferably of less than 20 dB, and particularly preferably of less than 15 dB. Cooling elements are therefore used which produce little noise in the interior of the housing.
The cooling element or elements is or are preferably integrated in the wall or lid of the housing, in particular with provision being made for a cooling element to be accommodated essentially in the lid of the housing.
In one development of the invention, a temperature sensor is arranged in the area, and is designed to regulate a supply device for coolant. The temperature in the interior of the housing can be kept constant by using a temperature sensor such as this.
In one alternative embodiment, as is provided according to one development of the invention, a further temperature sensor is arranged outside the area, and can be used to measure the temperature outside the housing. The temperature in the area in the housing can thus be matched to the external temperature. Temperature fluctuations when closing sensitive appliances or components to be investigated in the environmental noise shielding apparatus are largely avoided.
In one development of the invention, the environmental noise shielding apparatus has at least one opening flap which, as provided in one preferred embodiment of the invention, can be operated automatically. For example, the environmental noise shielding apparatus can be integrated in an automatic transport system, in which, for example, samples to be investigated are moved by an automation device into the housing of the environmental noise shielding apparatus.
The area in the environmental noise shielding apparatus can preferably be closed in an essentially fluidtight manner. This increases the sound-isolating effect, and more accurate temperature regulation is possible.
The area preferably occupies a space of between 0.2 and 7 m3, and particularly preferably between 0.5 and 1.5 m3.
The invention makes it possible to provide environmental noise shielding apparatuses which have a sound attenuation at a frequency of 500 Hz and with an incidence angle which runs essentially at right angles to a housing wall of more than 5 dB, preferably of more than 10 dB, and particularly preferably of more than 40 dB.
The sound attenuation at a frequency of 250 Hz is more than 3 dB, preferably more than 8 dB, and particularly preferably more than 30 dB.
The sound attenuation at a frequency of 100 Hz is more than 15 dB, preferably more than 30 dB, and particularly preferably more than 50 dB.
The invention also relates to a vibration isolation system which has an environmental noise shielding apparatus according to the invention.
The environmental noise shielding apparatus is in this case preferably mounted in a vibration-isolated form, in particular with provision being made for the environmental noise shielding apparatus to be arranged on a vibration-isolated plate.
The invention also relates to a method for shielding an appliance against environmental sound, with an appliance to be shielded being introduced into a housing which is then closed, and with a cooling apparatus which is arranged in the housing being regulated by a sensor which is likewise arranged in the housing.
In one development of the invention, the temperature in the housing is matched to the temperature outside the housing by means of a further sensor which is arranged outside the housing.
The invention will be explained in more detail in the following text using the drawings,
The major components of an environmental noise shielding apparatus 1 will be explained in more detail with reference to
The temperature sensor 8 is connected to a control device 9 which drives the supply device 6. The temperature in the area 3 can be kept essentially constant by means of the control device 9.
A further embodiment of an environmental noise shielding apparatus will be explained in more detail with reference to
A sensor 8 is arranged in the area 3 in the environmental noise shielding apparatus 1, and is connected to a control device 9.
A further sensor 12 is arranged outside the housing 2. The external temperature is measured using this sensor 12.
The control device 9 drives the supply device which is connected to the cooling element 5. The control device 9 is in this case designed such that it matches the temperature in the area 3 in the environmental noise shielding apparatus 1 to the external temperature, which is measured by the sensor 12.
The major components of a housing 2 of a further embodiment of an environmental noise shielding apparatus 1 will be explained in more detail with reference to
Furthermore, the environmental noise shielding apparatus 1 has a receptacle 24 for lifting it, for example by means of a fork lift truck. The receptacle 24 is also designed to be removable.
It is self-evident that the invention is not restricted to a combination of the features described above and, instead, a person skilled in the art can combine all of the described features, where worthwhile.
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