Patent Application
20240384528
The present invention relates to sound-absorbing panels and in particular relates to a sound-absorbing panel, the size and/or shape of which may be modified so as to be adapted to different needs. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing such a sound-absorbing panel.
It is known that, when a sound wave emitted in a closed room encounters a surface, part of its energy passes through the surface, part is absorbed by the impact with the surface and part is reflected back into the room.
If, in a room, the reflective surface area is high, the room may be acoustically very disturbed since the sound waves produced inside it are amplified with an effect similar to that of an echo.
In order to improve the acoustics of a room, without structural modifications, it is known to provide in the room one or more sound-absorbing panels for absorbing a greater part of the energy.
Sound-proofing materials have the property that they absorb at least a part of the acoustic energy and reduce the amount of reflected energy.
EP 2,820,199 in the name of the same Applicant describes a sound-absorbing panel and the associated manufacturing method.
The panel according to EP 2,820,199 is extremely functional and has resulted in a significant improvement in the sector of sound-absorbing panels. In fact, it has optimum acoustic characteristics as well as being very easy to handle and extremely versatile. The panel according to EP 2,820,199 is very light and does not require a support frame like the prior known panels.
The Applicant provides a plurality of different industrially manufactured sound-absorbing panels in different shapes, with different colors and in different sizes. For example, the Applicant provides sound-absorbing panels with a substantially rectangular shape, substantially square shape, or substantially circular, elliptical, trapezoidal or other shape.
Also known are sound-absorbing panels which are made with frames consisting of rigid material, such as wood, extruded aluminum or rigid plastic, or of iron profiles which support the sound-absorbing material, form a perimetral edge and allow the covering fabric to be fixed with metal staples, springs or other retaining systems.
In these sound-absorbing panels, the perimetral frame is cut to size depending on the needs and assembled to create a support frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,189A describes a removable wall panel. The panel is configured to be secured to a wall. It is not envisaged being able to modify the shape and/or size of the panel also because this could result in elimination of the securing points.
The Applicant has defined the aim of further improving the possibility of satisfying the installation and/or customer requirements in terms of the size and shape of the sound-absorbing panels.
In fact, the Applicant has realized that in certain situations it would be desirable for a customer to have a sound-absorbing panel with a shape different from the standard shape. For example, in some buildings such as historic buildings, the walls are not straight. In these conditions, a contractor installing sound-absorbing panels must necessarily make compromises and install standard panels in such a way as to cover the wall in the best possible manner. However, in some cases such compromises prove to be inefficient from the point of view of the sound-absorbing performance because the design engineer and/or the installation contractor is/are obliged to dispense with the installation of one or more panels, leaving a not insignificant part of the wall completely exposed.
The technical problem of the present invention is therefore to provide a method for manufacturing a sound-absorbing panel, the size and/or shape of which may be modified, also during installation on-site.
Another object is to be able to vary also subsequently the inclination of one of the cut edges, for example so as to be able to adapt the panel to a wall which is not perfectly vertical (a typical problem of historic buildings), this not being possible for all those panels which use profiles assembled by means of angular brackets fixed at 90 degrees.
According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a sound-absorbing panel comprising a padding layer with a first face, a second face and an edge, a fabric and fastening members for fixing the fabric to the padding layer,
Fixing the fabric with a screw (or several screws) offers a number of advantages. Firstly, it is able to ensure a more stable fastening. In fact, screws do not tend to become detached. Furthermore, the length of the screw may be adapted to the thickness of the padding layer. On the other hand, staples or other non-threaded fastening members may become detached more easily and penetrate by a smaller amount compared to screws.
According to embodiments of the present invention, the screws may have a length which is equal to at least one third of the thickness of the padding layer. For example, they have a length which is equal to or greater than half the thickness of the padding layer. In some embodiments, the length of the shank of the screw may be such as to reach also the layer with a greater density in the proximity of the first face, namely the visible face.
Furthermore, screws may be easily used again, unlike staples.
Furthermore, screws may be unscrewed (using a manual or electric screwdriver) while remaining attached (or “screwed”) to the fabric. In this way, they cannot fall to the ground and get lost, thus facilitating the work of the installation personnel, especially when they must modify the shape and/or size of the panel on-site.
Furthermore, screws allow the fabric to be tensioned better, also because they may be “directed”, i.e. inclined towards the inside of the panel (slightly further away from the edge) and then straightened while they are being screwed in. When the screws are used again, the fabric is in contact with the head of the screw and therefore, by straightening the screw, the fabric is tensioned.
According to embodiments, the edge is a sharp-cut edge.
According to embodiments, the fastening members do not comprise glue or adhesive. According to embodiments, the fastening members are mechanical fastening members. The absence of glue or adhesive is advantageous because it favors the recycling of the panel at the end of its working life: in fact, it is merely required to separate the padding layer (typically made of polyester) and the fabric (also typically made of polyester) from the metal (typically, in fact, the screws and the staples are made of metal). Furthermore, the absence of glue and adhesive is advantageous in that the fire and flame propagation resistance is improved.
According to embodiments, the fastening members are discrete fastening members.
According to embodiments, the fastening members comprise one or more of the following: nails, metal staples, staples made of non-metallic material, snap fasteners, buttons and eyelets or rubber bands.
According to embodiments, at least one fabric flap is fixed with two screws. Typically, at least one flap is fixed with at least one first screw in the proximity of a first end thereof and a second screw in the proximity of its second end.
According to embodiments, the at least one fabric flap which is fixed with two screws is also fixed with one or more staples, for example arranged between two screws, for example aligned (but also not aligned) with them.
According to embodiments, the fabric is shaped as an open box and comprises a bottom, edges and flaps which extend from the edges.
According to embodiments, the fabric is made by interweaving an elastic texturized yarn and comprises polyester. The fact that the fabric has a certain elasticity means that it may be tensioned and made to adhere better to the surfaces. This improves the sound-absorbing performance and results in a uniform response of the panel over the entire visible surface, even without the use of glue or adhesive.
According to another aspect, a method for modifying the shape and/or size of a sound-absorbing panel of the aforementioned type is provided, said method comprising:
According to embodiments, the step of fixing again the fabric is carried out using, at least in part, the fastening members with which the fabric was originally fixed to the padding layer or using new/different fastening members. For example, new screws and/or staples.
According to embodiments, the step of cutting a portion of the padding layer comprises the step of cutting the padding layer with a straight-blade cutting member, for example a cutter knife.
According to embodiments, the method also comprises the step of cutting off the excess fabric.
According to a third aspect, the present invention comprises a method for manufacturing a sound-absorbing panel of the aforementioned type, comprising:
According to embodiments, the step of applying fastening members comprises applying at least one staple and/or other removable fastening members.
All the thicknesses are understood as being measured in a transverse direction with respect to the outer surface of the panel. All the measurements and values are understood, unless otherwise indicated, as being preceded by the word “about”.
The invention will emerge more clearly upon reading the detailed description below, provided by way of a non-limiting example, to be read with reference to the attached drawings.
According to the present invention a sound-absorbing panel suitable for being modified in terms of its shape and/or its size is described. A method for modifying the shape and/or the size of a sound-absorbing panel is also described.
A sound-absorbing panel according to the present invention may be used on its own or in combination with other sound-absorbing panels in order to form structures suitable for installation in various environments in order to improve the acoustics thereof. They may be used to form walls, partitions, ceilings, false ceilings or the like. They may also be used to form furniture or parts of furniture, such as chairs, tables, sofas, bookshelves or the like.
For the purposes of the present description and the claims, it must be understood that, except where otherwise indicated, all the numbers which express values, quantities, percentages and the like are to be interpreted as being preceded, in each case, by the term “about”. Furthermore, all the ranges include every combination of the end values indicated within the range and include all the sub-ranges, which may also not be specifically indicated in the present description.
The sound-absorbing panel 1 according to the present invention may assume any shape. For example, a rectangular, square, round, regular polygon or irregular polygon shape.
According to the present invention and as will be described below, a padding layer 10 of heat-bonded synthetic fibers, a fabric 20 and fastening devices 31, 32 for fixing the fabric 20 to the padding layer 10 are provided.
The padding layer 10 comprises a first face 11 and a second face 12. Viewed in cross-section the padding layer 10 (according to embodiments) has a substantially constant cross-section. See in this connection
According to the present invention, the padding layer 10 comprises (or is essentially composed of) heat-bonded synthetic fibers.
In one embodiment, the heat-bonded synthetic fibers comprise polyester fibers.
Preferably, the fibers have a diameter of between 20 μm (micron) and 50 μm (micron), preferably a diameter of between 30 μm (micron) and 35 μm (micron).
The fibers can be used in a temperature range of between −40° C. and +80° C.
Preferably, the fibers are non-toxic and non-irritants. Furthermore they may be able to be fully recycled.
According to the present invention, the density of the fibers in the proximity of the first face 11 and in the proximity of the second face 12 is greater than the density of the fibers in the central zone 13. The greater density of the padding layer 10 in the proximity of the outer faces 11 and 12 makes them more rigid and imparts rigidity to the panel 1. Furthermore, as will be clarified below, the fastening devices 31, 32 may be firmly fastened in order to fix the fabric 20 to the padding layer 10.
According to embodiments, the padding layer 10 is not delimited by a rigid edge which has a smaller thickness (and therefore a high fiber density and consequently is rigid). For example, the padding layer 10 terminates substantially with a sharp-cut edge. For the purposes of the present description and the attached claims, the expression “sharp-cut” will mean that the padding layer is cut at 90° (as shown in
According to embodiments, the padding layer 10 comprises an edge which has a smaller thickness (with a high fiber density and rigid) along a perimetral section. For example, the edge with a smaller thickness may be provided along one or two sides of the panel 1, in the case where the panel has a polygonal shape.
The sound-absorbing panel 1 according to the invention also comprises a fabric 20. According to embodiments, the fabric 20 is fixed at least to one face (11 or 12) of the padding layer. According to embodiments, the fabric is fixed only to one face (12) of the padding layer 10.
Although, as mentioned above, the padding layer 10 is substantially symmetrical when viewed in cross-section, and therefore a visible face and an opposite face is not identifiable, the fabric 12 is applied to the padding layer 10 so as to define a visible face and a face opposite thereto.
In other words, the fabric 20 is applied so as to cover completely a first face 11 which, accordingly, is defined as being the visible face, typically exposed to the sound source. The fabric 20 is preferably applied so as to cover at least partly the edges 15 of the padding layer 10. More preferably, the fabric 20 is applied so as to cover completely the edges 15 of the padding layer 10 so as to cover and not expose the sections of the padding layer 10. According to embodiments, the fabric 20 is applied so as to cover, at least in part, the second face 12, namely the face opposite to the face 11 which defines the visible face of the panel 1. According to embodiments, the fabric 20 is applied so as to cover, substantially entirely, the second face 12, namely the face opposite to the visible face.
Preferably, the fabric 20 is not fastened to the first face 11 of the padding layer. Preferably, in any case, the fabric 20 is not fastened to the first face 11 with adhesive or the like.
Preferably, the fabric 20 is not fastened to the edge 15 of the padding layer 10. Preferably, in any case, the fabric 20 is not fastened to the edge 15 of the padding layer 10 with adhesive or the like.
According to embodiments, the fabric 20 is fastened to the padding layer 10 along the second face 12. According to embodiments, the fabric 20 is fastened to the padding layer 10 substantially only along the second face 12, opposite to the first face 11.
The fabric 20 is fastened to the second face 12 by means of one or more devices such as screws, nails, staples made of metal (or other material), strips of Velcro® or the like or strips of double-sided tape, or a combination thereof. The fabric 20 may also be fastened by means of snap fasteners, buttons and eyelets or a combination thereof. The fabric may also be fastened by means of rubber bands.
According to embodiments, the fabric 20 is not fastened by means of adhesive or, alternatively, the fabric is not only fastened by means of adhesive.
Preferably, the fabric 20 is made of polyester.
For example, the fabric 20 is made by interweaving an elastic texturized yarn with a yarn count of 750 dtex along warp and weft. The structure may be formed by 1600 threads and 1500 wefts per meter with a crêpe weave. The weight per square meter may be 300 g. In one embodiment, the fabric is of the Trevira CS flame-retarding type.
According to one embodiment, the fabric has the following properties:
Preferably, the fabric has a specific strength of between 723 and 1213 [Pa s/m] and mass porosity of between 74% and 77%.
Preferably, the warp of the fabric comprises between 5 and 70 threads per centimeter.
More preferably, the warp of the fabric comprises between 5 and 40 threads per centimeter.
Even more preferably, the warp of the fabric comprises between 15 and 40 threads per centimeter.
Preferably, the weft of the fabric comprises between 5 and 70 threads per centimeter.
More preferably, the weft of said fabric comprises between 5 and 40 threads per centimeter.
Even more preferably, the weft of said fabric comprises between 12 and 22 threads per centimeter.
According to embodiments, as shown in various figures, the fabric 20 is arranged so as to adhere to (or be substantially directly facing) the first face 11 and the edges 15 and is folded over onto the second face 12. For example, the fabric 20 may be shaped as an open box, namely with a bottom 21, edges 25 and flaps 22. Each flap 22, preferably, is separately fastened to the second face 12. For example, each flap 22 is fastened by means of screws 31 and/or metal staples 32. Advantageously, a flap 22 may be fastened to the padding layer 10 and also the other layer 22, for example by means of metal staples 32.
The sound-absorbing panel 1 according to the invention is configured to be modified. In particular, the shape and/or the size of the sound-absorbing panel 1 according to the present invention may be changed so as to adapt it better to the requirements of the site where it will be installed. The modification may be performed before transportation to the installation location or also on-site if the need to modify the panel should arise at that moment (or if it is important to ensure that the panel is modified in the correct manner).
For example, a rectangular panel 1 with side L1 and height H1 may be modified so as to obtain a rectangular panel with shorter side L2, i.e. L2<L1, or a square panel, i.e. with L2=H1.
The person performing the modification must remove the fabric 20 by the amount need to expose the padding layer 10 in the zone where the cut is to be made (broken line 16 in
Obviously, the fabric flap 22 corresponding to the side where the cut was made will be longer. Said flap may be kept longer, as shown in
The padding layer may be cut at angle of 90° or may be inclined (i.e. not perpendicular) at a different angle so as form a trapezium-shaped panel. This may be necessary when the wall to which the panel will be fixed does not have level walls. The inclination may be only a few degrees, for example less than 5°, or a greater angle, for example 5°, 10° or 15°.
Cutting of the padding layer 10 may be performed using any suitable tool. For example, it may be performed using a strong cutter knife 40 or straight-edge blade.
Reciprocating blades, circular blades or reciprocating circular blades may also be used, provided, preferably, that they do not have teeth.
Advantageously, therefore, the sound-absorbing panel according to the invention may be shaped so as satisfy the specific requirements for its use. The panel, owing to the variable density and in particular owing to the greater density in the proximity of the outer faces, is sufficiently rigid and self-supporting. No frame is required and therefore modification of the frame is not necessary, as instead the case in the known sound-absorbing panels.
The length of the screws is preferably proportional to the thickness of the panel. According to embodiments, the screws have a length not smaller than about one third of the panel thickness. According to embodiments, the screws have a length not smaller than about half the panel thickness. According to embodiments, the screws have a length not smaller than about two thirds of the panel thickness.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102021000024566 | Sep 2021 | IT | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2022/059006 | 9/23/2022 | WO |
